Licorice brew leads to hypertensive crisis
Timely reminder to ask patients about their licorice habits, say case report authors
An 84-year-old man with long-standing hypertension presented to a Canadian ED with a hypertensive emergency, unaware that the cause was licorice tea.
His blood pressure was 196/66mmHg; on physical examination he had signs of volume overload, including pulmonary crackles on auscultation and pitting oedema up to his knees.
A chest X-ray was consistent with mild pulmonary oedema, his McGill University doctors report in the CMAJ.
The patient, who had type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia and coronary artery disease, reported a one-week history of headaches, photophobia, chest pain and fatigue.
