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Hemolytic anemia after zopiclone overdose
Hin Tat Jeffrey Fung1, Cing Hon Lai, Oi Fung Wong
1Accident & Emergency Department, Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong, China. funght@ha.org.hk
Introduction:
Zopiclone is associated with methemoglobinemia. We report a case of zopiclone overdose manifested with another hematological complication, hemolysis.
Case:
A 46-year-old woman overdosed with 50-100 tablets of 7.5 mg zopiclone. Oxidative hemolysis was evident by anemia, bite cells, raised unconjugated bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase, lowered haptoglobin, and reticulocytosis.
Discussion:
In zopiclone overdose, there may be oxidative stress rendering the development of not only methemoglobinemia but also hemolysis.
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