Intracerebral haemorrhage and angiographic beading following ingestion of catecholaminergics.

Abstract

Two cases of serious intracerebral hemorrhage occurring in young women following their first use of oral medications containing catecholaminergic agents (phenylpropanolamine in combination with ephedrine or pseudoephedrine) were reported. Both women were previously well and there was no evidence for systemic vaculitis, coagulopathy, aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation. Angiography in both cases, performed approximately 40 h following drug ingestion, revealed the beading pattern typical of that seen in previously reported cases of presumed amphetamine-induced vasculitis. This arteriographic abnormality is apparently non-specific and should not be construed as necessarily indicative of arteritis.