AVASTIN INJECTIONS MAY INCREASE BLOOD PRESSURE

Eye advance online publication 12 December 2008; doi: 10.1038/eye.2008.360

In those patients with established and treated hypertension, the systolic blood pressure levels showed significant increases at weeks 1, 3, and 6 after Avastin injection. Similarly, diastolic blood pressure levels were significantly higher at weeks 3 and 6. In patients without hypertension, the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels showed significant elevations only at week 3.

"The findings of this study show that there is a risk of disregulation of blood pressure levels or persistence of hypertension in hypertensive patients after intravitreal bevacizumab injections."