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Moustafa Abdou: Could a Commonly Prescribed Drug Trigger Life-Threatening Hemolysis?

Moustafa Abdou/LinkedIn

May 13, 2026, 14:33

Moustafa Abdou: Could a Commonly Prescribed Drug Trigger Life-Threatening Hemolysis?

Moustafa Abdou, Author and Founder of AskHematologist.com, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Could a commonly prescribed drug trigger life-threatening hemolysis in your patient?

G6PD deficiency is one of the most common enzymatic disorders worldwide, yet it continues to be under-recognised in day-to-day clinical practice.
The real challenge is not diagnosis alone, but anticipating and preventing hemolytic triggers, particularly in acute care and oncology settings.

Key clinical insights:

Oxidative stress from infections or drugs can precipitate acute hemolysis.
Certain medications, including rasburicase, can lead to severe complications if G6PD deficiency is unrecognised.
Peripheral blood smear may reveal bite cells and blister cells during hemolytic episodes.
Enzyme testing can be misleading during acute hemolysis and may require repeat confirmation.
In this updated article, I summarise the pathophysiology, triggers, diagnostic pitfalls, and practical management considerations for G6PD deficiency:

A practical refresher for clinicians involved in prescribing, acute care, and hematology.”

Moustafa Abdou: Could a Commonly Prescribed Drug Trigger Life-Threatening Hemolysis?