Atenolol-induced cutaneous vasculitis.

Abstract

We present a case of cutaneous vasculitis apparently due to an adverse reaction to atenolol. The causal relationship between the drug and the eruption was based mainly on circumstantial evidence. It has been further strengthened by positive results of the indirect rat mast cell degranulation test. The number of published cases of reaction to atenolol is limited. Cutaneous vasculitis has, to the best of our knowledge, never been reported as an adverse reaction to atenolol, although it is not a rare side effect of other beta blocker drugs including propranolol and practolol. Atenolol should be added to the list of beta blocker medications that may produce cutaneous vasculitis.