title: Hazards posed by a banned drug--phenformin is still hanging around.
abstract: The Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory confirmed six cases of phenformin use, with or without complications, from July 2005 to November 2006. Two of the patients presented with potentially fatal phenformin-induced lactic acidosis. Phenformin was found (or suspected to be) adulterating Chinese proprietary medicine in five of the six cases. We report these six cases to highlight the underrecognised hazards posed by phenformin, a banned drug in Hong Kong.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Laichikok, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ching
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Ernest N P
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Albert Y W
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tony W L
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mak
mesh_terms: D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000368:Aged; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004340:Drug Contamination; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010629:Phenformin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010629:Phenformin