Esophagus
Esophagitis
Pill induced esophagitis
Author: Elliot Weisenberg, M.D.
Last author update: 1 October 2012
Last staff update: 17 December 2020
Copyright: 2003-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Pill induced esophagitis
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Case reports | Microscopic (histologic) description | Additional referencesCite this page: Weisenberg E. Pill induced esophagitis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/esophaguspillinduced.html. Accessed June 10th, 2023.
Definition / general
- Pills sticking in esophagus cause local injury, often in mid esophagus (J Clin Gastroenterol 1999;28:298)
- Often doxycycline and other antibiotics, aspirin and NSAIDs, slow release potassium, ferrous salts, alendronate (Fosamax, Mod Pathol 1999;12:1152)
- Associated with diabetes and ischemic heart disease (Endoscopy 2005;37:740), advanced age; more common in women
- May rarely cause strictures
- Prevention: take pills when upright and with adequate fluids (Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol 2004;7:71, Drug Saf 2000;22:237)
- Endoscopy: erosions, kissing ulcers, multiple small ulcerations with bleeding, mainly in mid esophagus
Case reports
- 43 year old man with case resulting from telithromycin (Turk J Gastroenterol 2006;17:113)
- 70 year old man with case resulting from rifampin (Ann Pharmacother 1999;33:27)
- 2 cases resulting from alendronate and doxycycline (Rom J Gastroenterol 2005;14:159)
- Woman with case resulting from oral contraceptive Diane 35 (Int J Clin Pract Suppl 2005;147:79)
- Procardia extended release (J Assoc Acad Minor Phys 1997;8:38)
- Tamsulosin for prostatic hypertrophy (Dig Liver Dis 2004;36:632)
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Inflammatory exudate, ulceration, inflamed granulation tissue, prominent eosinophils, necrotic squamous epithelium, polarizable crystalline foreign material, multinucleated giant cells
- Fungi or viral inclusions present in 20% of cases due to alendronate
Additional references
