Health Library

Hemolytic anemia caused by chemicals and toxins

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.

I Would Like to Learn About:

Causes

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.

Related Information

References

Little M. Anaemia. In: Cameron P, Little M, Mitra B, Deasy C, eds. Textbook of Adult Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 13.1.

Mentzer WC, Schrier SL. Extrinsic nonimmune hemolytic anemias. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 48.

Michel M. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 146.

Review Date: 3/31/2024  

Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- 2024 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.