Telmisartan induced urticarial vasculitis

A 53-year-old man developed urticarial vasculitis following ingestion of telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide combination for hypertension. Treatment with prednisolone and cetirizine was curative, but his lesions recurred when he continued telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide against medical advice. Re-challenge with the same doses of telmisartan precipitated similar lesions with telmisartan and not with hydrochlorothiazide. This uncommon cutaneous adverse reaction of angiotensin II receptor blockers has implication for the clinicians as more such cases may become apparent with their wider use than in premarketing studies.