Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins

Alternative Names: Anemia - hemolytic - caused by chemicals or toxins

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.

Causes of Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins

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

This list is not all-inclusive.

Schwartz RS. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 163.

Schrier SL, Price EA. Extrinsic nonimmune hemolytic anemias. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Shattil SS, et al., eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 48.

Review Date: 2/19/2012
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, 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.

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