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Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins - Overview

Alternative Names

Anemia - hemolytic - caused by chemicals or toxins

Definition of Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins:

Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins is a lack of enough red blood cells due to factors other than disease.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Possible substances that can cause hemolytic anemia include:

Anti-malaria drugs (quinine compounds)
Arsenic
Dapsone
Intravenous water infusion (not half-normal saline or normal saline)
Metals (chromium/chromates, platinum salts, nickel compounds, copper, lead, cis-platinum)
Nitrites
Nitrofurantoin
Phenazopyridine (Pyridium)
Rho immune globulin (WinRho)
Ribavirin
Snake bites (some snake venom contains hemolytic toxins)
Sulfonamides
Sulfones

Reviewed last on: 11/23/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Schwartz RS. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 164.

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