An 82-year-old American man suffered from a rare blood disorder that required his transfer to the emergency department at the University of California, after consuming large quantities of beets over several weeks, in a case highlighting the importance of paying attention to potential interactions between certain foods and medications.
The German network "Deutsche Welle" reported in an article published the day before yesterday that the man was consuming about three kilograms of boiled beets weekly, in addition to drinking the water they were boiled in, before suffering from severe dizziness. His skin color was observed to turn bluish-gray, and his blood pressure dropped to dangerous levels, despite being supplied with oxygen.
Accurate medical diagnosis
After conducting medical tests, doctors diagnosed him with a condition known as "methemoglobinemia," a disorder in which the shape of hemoglobin, the protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood, changes, limiting its ability to deliver oxygen to body tissues, even when the lungs are functioning normally.
Drug interaction
A review of the patient's medical history showed that he suffers from severe coronary artery disease and takes the medication "isosorbide mononitrate," used to dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow. Doctors suspected that consuming large quantities of beets, which are rich in nitrates, in conjunction with the use of the medication may have contributed to the disorder.
Full recovery
Doctors treated the patient using "methylene blue," which helps restore hemoglobin's ability to transport oxygen. Blood oxygen saturation levels rose to about 99 percent, and the skin discoloration disappeared. The patient was discharged from the hospital a few days later. The medical report documenting the case was published in the "Journal of Emergency Medicine," a journal specialized in emergency medicine.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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