Hypertension induced by liquorice tea.

A 45-year-old woman presented to her general practitioner with a 4-month history of hot flushes, sweating and headaches. On examination, she was found to be hypertensive, and blood tests revealed mild hypokalaemia. While awaiting the results of further investigation into the cause of her elevated blood pressure, the patient conducted her own research and identified liquorice tea as the potential cause of her symptoms. The patient had been drinking up to six cups of liquorice tea per day as a substitute for caffeinated tea and fruit-based infusions. The patient immediately stopped consuming the drink and within 2 weeks her symptoms, hypertension and hypokalaemia had entirely resolved.