Drug-induced posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

Abstract

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a serious neurological disorder consisting of headache, visual disturbances, seizures, impaired consciousness and radiological evidence of poster- ior cerebral oedema. It is occasionally complicated by cerebral haemorrhage or ischaemia. The main known risk factors for PRES are hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, acute kid- ney injury and numerous drugs. The main drugs implicated are antineoplastics, in particular VEGF inhibitors, immunosuppressants, and drugs that can increase blood pressure or fluid and sodium retention. The disorders usually resolve without sequelae within days once the causal factor has been elim- inated.