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Extensive pharyngeal hemorrhage induced by dipyridamole
Acta Haematologica
|January 1, 1981
Summary
Dipyridamole administration caused a pharyngeal hemorrhage in a diabetic patient, leading to difficulty swallowing. The bleeding resolved after discontinuing the medication, with abnormal platelet aggregation tests returning to normal.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Hematology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Dipyridamole is an antiplatelet medication used to prevent blood clots.
- Pharyngeal hemorrhage is a rare but serious adverse event.
- Diabetes mellitus can affect coagulation and platelet function.
Observation:
- A diabetic patient developed significant pharyngeal bleeding during dipyridamole therapy.
- The hemorrhage resulted in dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).
Findings:
- Coagulation tests were largely normal, except for decreased platelet aggregation.
- Specific platelet function tests, including platelet factor 3 availability and aggregation responses to adenosine diphosphate and epinephrine, were abnormal during the event.
- These abnormalities normalized after dipyridamole was stopped.
Implications:
- This case suggests a potential link between dipyridamole and impaired platelet function, leading to hemorrhage.
- Clinicians should consider dipyridamole-induced platelet dysfunction in patients presenting with unexplained bleeding, particularly those with diabetes.
- Further investigation into dipyridamole's effects on platelet aggregation in diabetic patients may be warranted.