Glucocorticoid hypertension due to the use of bleaching skin cream, a case report.

We report on an unusual case of a 28-year old African woman who developed glucocorticosteroid induced arterial hypertension after abusive use of a skin bleaching cream. Glucocorticosteroids exert their effect at many different sites involved in blood pressure regulation: in particular at the level of the kidney, blood vessels and the heart. The exact incidence of arterial hypertension after prolonged cutaneous glucocorticosteroid administration is unknown. The mechanism of glucocorticosteroid induced hypertension is discussed.