Erythromelalgia Medication

  • Author: Joseph E Maakaron, MD; Chief Editor: Emmanuel C Besa, MD   more...
 
Updated: Feb 10, 2012
 

Medication Summary

Platelet inhibition is helpful in patients with thrombocytosis. Aspirin is most often used, but anagrelide may also be effective.[27] The optimal pharmacologic therapy in primary erythromelalgia is still unknown.

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Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Class Summary

Aspirin is preferred because it provides relief lasting longer than that of indomethacin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), presumably because of irreversible platelet inhibition.

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Aspirin

 

Aspirin inhibits prostaglandin synthesis, which prevents formation of platelet-aggregating thromboxane A2.

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Anagrelide (Agrylin)

 

Anagrelide may inhibit cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and the release of arachidonic acid from phospholipase possibly by inhibiting phospholipase A2. A decrease in megakaryocyte hypermaturation may result in a reduction in platelet production.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Joseph E Maakaron, MD  Research Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Ali Taher, MD  Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Emmanuel C Besa, MD  Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University

Emmanuel C Besa, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Education, American College of Clinical Pharmacology, American Federation for Medical Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and New York Academy of Sciences

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Robert J Nardino, MD Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital of Saint Raphael, Yale University School of Medicine

Robert J Nardino, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, and Society of General Internal Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Andrea LM Silber, MD Medical Oncologist, Father Michael J McGivney Center for Cancer Care, Saint Raphael Hospital

Andrea LM Silber, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine and American Society of Preventive Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Reference Salary Employment

References

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Cardinal symptoms of erythromelalgia.
 
 
 
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