If you have G6PD deficiency, your body produces less of this enzyme, increasing your risk for anemia. G6PD is an enzyme in your body that protects red blood cells from damage. Drugs like primaquine, dapsone, and rasburicase are known triggers. Discover which drugs to avoid and why it matters for your well-being. You should also avoid eating fava beans while breastfeeding if your newborn has a G6PD deficiency. But others experience life-threatening events like a hemolytic crisis when they encounter a trigger.
Symptoms and Causes
In most cases, hemolytic episodes go away on their own. Episodes are longer and more severe than in the other types of the disorder. A form of this disorder is common in whites of Mediterranean descent. In the United States, G6PD deficiency is more common among blacks than whites. Other chemicals, such as G6PD medications those in mothballs, can also trigger an episode. This is because the body continues to produce new red blood cells, which have normal G6PD activity.
- Some individuals may tolerate certain medications better than others.
- Healthcare providers usually start by taking a complete medical history and doing a physical exam.
- If you have G6PD deficiency, you can usually follow a standard diet so long as they avoid fava beans and other trigger foods.
- In most cases, hemolytic episodes go away on their own.
- However, it’s generally advisable for healthcare providers to exercise caution when prescribing these drugs or consider alternative treatments.
- In this blog, we will discuss multiple drugs that have warnings or contraindications for individuals with G6PD deficiency.
Medications and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: an evidence-based review
To manage their condition, individuals with G6PD deficiency need to be aware of drugs that can potentially exacerbate their condition. Individuals with G6PD deficiency have a reduced ability to defend RBCs against oxidative stress, resulting in hemolysis (the destruction of red blood cells) when exposed to certain triggers. Michel M. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. If you have G6PD deficiency, you can usually follow a standard diet so long as they avoid fava beans and other trigger foods. Always discuss health information with your healthcare provider.
What to Avoid If You Have G6PD
Free radicals are usually harmless substances found in all kinds of places, like the environment, fava beans and medicines. G6PD is important because it prevents too many “free radicals” from building up in your red blood cells. Having the variant means that your red blood cells are low on G6PD. Left untreated, infants with severe jaundice can develop brain damage (kernicterus).
But there are ways to get diagnosed before major health issues arise. Still, not everyone with this condition experiences it the same way. If your newborn has jaundice, their provider may treat it with phototherapy (a natural or artificial light treatment). Healthcare providers use different treatments based on the situation. They might ask if you’ve recently changed medications or had an infection. This leads to oxidative stress that strains your red blood cells.
Substances
When this process is actively occurring, it is called a hemolytic episode. Too little G6PD leads to the destruction of red blood cells. Regarding all other medications, our review found no evidence to contravene their use in normal therapeutic doses to G6PD-deficient patients. Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen are safe and are alternatives to aspirin for people with G6PD deficiency. Others only trigger problems in specific types of G6PD deficiency. There are other medications that only cause red cell breakdown if taken in high doses.
Review Date 3/31/2024
The most common sign is jaundice, which appears within the first few days of birth. Infants rarely develop obvious G6PD deficiency symptoms. Seek emergency care if you’re experiencing signs of a hemolytic crisis. Sometimes, newborns with G6PD deficiency have severe jaundice.
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In fact, early insight into the biology of G6PD deficiency came from research on hemolysis caused by antimalarial drugs observed only in certain populations14. Some individuals may not be aware of their G6PD status11. G6PD deficiency is an inherited genetic disorder that affects red blood cells (RBCs)3. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Genetic counseling or testing may be available to those who have a family history of the condition. Talk to your provider about your medicines.
- In the current review we aimed, by thorough search of the medical literature, to collect evidence on which to base decisions either to prohibit or allow the use of various medications in patients with G6PD deficiency.
- For individuals with G6PD deficiency, certain medications can cause oxidative stress leading to hemolytic anemia.
- These medications increase the risk of red blood cells breaking down, which can lead to serious health problems.
- It may mean developing healthy habits, like getting enough rest and not smoking.
- For this procedure, the provider removes your baby’s unhealthy blood and replaces it with healthy, donated blood.
There’s no cure for G6PD deficiency, but most people don’t experience issues if they avoid triggers. If you have severe hemolytic anemia, you may need a blood transfusion. When someone with a G6PD deficiency eats fava beans and experiences hemolytic anemia, it’s called favism. It is critical to test individuals for G6PD deficiency before administering certain therapies to avoid severe adverse outcomes.
Related MedlinePlus Health Topics
G6PD deficiency occurs when a person is missing or does not have enough of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. In the current review we aimed, by thorough search of the medical literature, to collect evidence on which to base decisions either to prohibit or allow the use of various medications in patients with G6PD deficiency. Although drug-induced haemolysis is considered the most common adverse clinical consequence of G6PD deficiency, significant confusion exists regarding which drugs can cause haemolytic anaemia in patients with G6PD deficiency. However, you should know which ones to avoid to protect your red blood cells. If you have G6PD deficiency, you need to avoid certain medications, foods, dyes, and other substances.
In rare case, kidney failure or death may occur following a severe hemolytic event. People with this condition do not display any signs of the disease until their red blood cells are exposed to certain chemicals in food or medicine. This enzyme helps red blood cells work properly.
A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. People with G6PD deficiency must strictly avoid things that can trigger an episode. Contact your provider if you have been diagnosed with G6PD deficiency and symptoms do not disappear after treatment.
As a result, your red blood cells don’t have enough G6PD. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. G6PD prevents harmful substances from damaging your red blood cells. It happens when your body doesn’t have enough G6PD enzyme.
But sometimes, triggers like certain medicines can cause serious problems, like hemolytic anemia. However, it’s generally advisable for healthcare providers to exercise caution when prescribing these drugs or consider alternative treatments. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is among the most common human enzyme defects, present in about 400 million people across the globe1.
Contact your health care provider if you have symptoms of this condition. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common human enzyme defect and one of the most common genetic disorders worldwide, with an estimated 400 million people worldwide carrying a mutation in the G6PD gene that causes deficiency of the enzyme. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have G6PD deficiency and need to take antibiotics or malaria medications, as they can tell you what’s safe. It’s important to consult with healthcare providers to ensure medications are safe before use. If you have G6PD deficiency, certain medications can trigger severe health issues.
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