[Drug-induced pancreatitis: experience of the Swiss Drug Adverse Effects Center (SANZ) 1981-1993].

Acute pancreatitis may be caused by a number of different drugs. However, reports on the frequency of drug-related acute pancreatitis and on the drugs involved are rare. We therefore investigated all cases of drug-related acute pancreatitis which had been reported to the Swiss Drug Monitoring Center (Schweizerische Arzneimittel-Nebenwirkungszentrale, SANZ) between 1981 and 1993. During this period the total number of reported adverse drug reactions was 7338, 20 of which (0.3%) were considered to be probable cases of drug-related pancreatitis. In 18 cases a single drug was incriminated, whereas in two cases two and four drugs respectively had to be investigated. Serious courses, deaths, or chronic pancreatitis were not reported. The most frequent single drugs incriminated were sulfonamide derivatives (5 cases), valproic acid (3 cases) and nonsteroidal anti-flammatory drugs (2 cases). The frequencies reported here are consistent with the literature. Considering the total number of drugs prescribed, acute pancreatitis is a rare adverse drug reaction.