Difficult-to-control secondary hypertension in a patient with history of glioblastoma, and cerebral edema — a case study

We report a history of a patient with difficult-to-control high blood pressure, central nervous system mass and several comorbidities which altogether made the blood-lowering medication particularly challenging. Patient was diagnosed with glioblastoma, renovascular stenosis to a single kidney, and cerebral edema resulting from both cerebral tissue mass and exceedingly high systemic blood pressure. In the presented case we faced several contraindications to the guideline-recommended treatment with RAAS blockers, beta-blockers, and several diuretic classes which were determined by (1) the only remaining kidney’s renal artery stenosis, (2) decreased creatinine clearance and (3) reflex bradycardia secondary to cerebral edema. Evidence-based recommendations do not clarify all clinical aspects related to emergent high blood pressure because the evidence is sparse; therefore, we found it interesting to share our experience.