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DRUG‐INDUCED AGRANULOCYTOSIS
Author(s) -
Palva I. P.,
Mustala O. O.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1972.tb00022.x
Subject(s) - medicine , drug , antibiotics , carbimazole , drug administration , disease , penicillin , intensive care medicine , dermatology , pharmacology , graves' disease , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Six fatal cases including material from 40 patients with agranulocytosis are described in detail, paying special attention to the drugs given before and after the onset of symptoms and recording the absence of neutrophils. Five of the six were cases of typical acute agranulocytosis and in four of them the drug probably causing the disease was still given after the recording of the low leukocyte count. The drugs given were aminophenazone, metamizol, sulfamethoxypyridazine and carbimazole. The authors conclude that agranulocytosis is rarely a fatal disease if the administration of dangerous drugs is stopped when the first clinical signs of agranulocytosis appear. Otherwise the administration of antibiotics and corticosteroids is not life‐saving. Therefore information from patients and nurses about the first symptoms of agranulocytosis is very important when leukotoxic drugs are used.