QuestionRecent in India, that is in tamil nadu some the public elderly people is died after taking diethyl carbamazine citrate (the govt has given as preventive medicine to public for filariasis). Almost 7 elderly patients died after taking the pills. What is the reason. If you have any idea kindly give the reason.
AnswerHello Nagarjan and thanks for writing,
Obviously I can not tell you why people died without their full medical histories and lab results, but I can guess at some possible causes.
Pharmacology information on Diethylcarbamazine state:
No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of diethylcarbamazine in geriatric patients.
In heavily infected patients with onchocerciasis, severe reactions may occur following a single dose of diethylcarbamazine. The Mazzotti reaction, a complex, acute inflammatory response characterized by fever, tachycardia, hypotension, adenitis, and an ocular inflammatory response, usually results from the death of microfilariae. The intensity of the reaction depends on the dose and the microfilarial load. However, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether these reactions are caused by the death of microfilariae or by diethylcarbamazine itself.
Microfilarial blood concentrations(may be required prior to and periodically during therapy with diethylcarbamazine); in loiasis, retinal hemorrhage and encephalopathy may occur with very high microfilarial blood concentrations.
These are possible causes of death, and of course most side-effects are more serious with seniors. I hope this helps a bit,
Margot
