Minoxidil-Induced Lung Disease Masquerading As Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
January 2023
in “
Respiratory Medicine Case Reports
”
TLDR Minoxidil can cause lung disease that looks like hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
A 71-year-old male with essential thrombosis developed lung issues that appeared as ground-glass opacity with a mosaic pattern on a CT scan, initially suspected to be hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). However, it was later identified as a drug-induced lung disease caused by minoxidil, which the patient had been taking without disclosure. The condition resolved spontaneously with hospitalization. This case highlighted the critical need for accurate medication history to ensure correct diagnosis and was the first reported instance of minoxidil causing a pulmonary illness resembling HP.