Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

P Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins is a lack of red blood cells that occurs when red blood cells are excessively damaged by certain chemicals or toxins.

T Causes
P 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
- Penicillin
- Phenazopyridine (Pyridium)
- Rho immune globulin (WinRho)
- Ribavirin
- Snake bites (some snake venom contains hemolytic toxins)
- Sulfonamides
- Sulfones
P This list is not all-inclusive.

T Alternative Names
P Anemia - hemolytic - caused by chemicals or toxins

T References
P Michel M. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 160.
P Price EA, Schrier. Extrinsic nonimmune hemolytic anemias In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ Jr., Silberstein LE, Heslop HE, Weitz JI, Anastasi J, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2013:chap 45.

T Review Date 2/12/2016
P Updated by: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

