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Case Reports
. 2022 Jan;47(1):119-120.
doi: 10.1111/jcpt.13412. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

A case report of topical local anaesthetic cream inducing methaemoglobinaemia with an over-the-counter medication

Ross McAlpine  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

A case report of topical local anaesthetic cream inducing methaemoglobinaemia with an over-the-counter medication

Ross McAlpine. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

What is known and objective: Methaemoglobinaemia is an altered state of haemoglobin caused by a variety of therapeutics which impairs tissue oxygenation. There are numerous cases in the literature of methaemoglobinaemia induced iatrogenically in a hospital environment. This is a case of methaemoglobinaemia induced by an over-the-counter topical local anaesthetic in a patient with widespread skin lesions.

Case summary: A 55 year old woman presented with a generalised blistering rash and features of impaired tissue perfusion. She was found to have a methaemoglobinaemia and oxidative haemolysis. It was subsequently determined she had applied an over-the-counter topical local anaesthetic ointment.

What is new and conclusion: This case presented a diagnostic challenge along with a rare case of methaemoglobinaemia induced by an over-the-counter topical local anaesthetic.

Keywords: assessment; over-the-counter; user-related pharmaceutical care problems.

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References

REFERENCES

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