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COMMON DRUGS CAUSING ANAEMIA
OP Kapoor
Ex. Hon. Physician, Jaslok Hospital and Bombay Hospital, Mumbai, Ex. Hon. Prof. of Medicine, Grant Medical College and JJ Hospital, Mumbai 400 008.
The list of drugs which can cause anaemia is very long in the textbooks, but following are the most common:-
1.Iron Deficiency Anaemia is very often seen in patients who are on long term Aspirin treatment. However, NSAID group of drugs are also common cause of iron deficiency anaemia.
2.Megaloblastic Anaemia : It is very important to remember that Dilantin which is very commonly used in epilepsy can cause this anaemia. Similarly, Methotrexate which is the most commonly used drug in rheumatoid arthritis can cause this type of anaemia. Finally, contraceptive pills can cause this type of anaemia.
3.Haemolytic Anaemia - Primaquine, quinine (any anti-malarial drugs) and Sulphas can cause acute haemolytic anaemia in patients having G6PD deficiency.
It is very important to remember that there are 2 other commonly used drugs which can cause haemolysis even without G6PD deficiency. These are:
a.Dapsone, which is used in all patients having leprosy.
b.Salazopyrine, which is most often used in patients having ulcerative colitis, is also used in rheumatoid arthritis.
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