Fatal agranulocytosis attributable to cimetidine

There exist some 12 reported cases of agranulocytosis or pancytopenia occurring after the use of cimetidine to reduce gastric acidity. Reported here is the case of a 74-year-old man with renal failure who, 21 days after treatment with cimetidine for peptic oesophagitis, developed severe granulocytopenia followed by fatal septicaemia.