Letter
Recurrent life-threatening acidosis induced by acetazolamide in a patient with diabetic type iv renal tubular acidosis

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To the Editor:

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are widely used for the treatment of wide-angle glaucoma and are usually well tolerated. Severe metabolic acidosis, rarely reported, occurs predominantly among elderly people, in patients with advanced renal failure, in patients on chronic dialysis, and during concomitant use of other nephrotoxic drugs.1, 2, 3, 4, 5

An 80-year-old male patient was admitted with progressive tachypnea and declining mental status. Past medical history included non–insulin-dependent

References (5)

  • DL Epstein et al.

    Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor side effects

    Arch Ophthalmol

    (1977)
  • I Heller et al.

    Significant metabolic acidosis induced by acetazolamide. Not a rare complication

    Arch Intern Med

    (1985)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

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