The reactions to medications are common. In fact, 15-30% of all hospitalized patients experience an unwanted reaction because of drugs. However, true allergic reactions to drugs occur in only about 1 in 10 of all adverse drug reactions.
Classification drug reactions
Before we can discuss the big topic of allergy to drugs, we have that group reactions to drugs in one of 2 categories:
– Reactions are common and predictable in anyone. This would include the expected side effects of drugs, interactions between 2 drugs that the person is taking, and the reactions of overuse of medications (drug overdose). This group represents the majority of drug reactions.
— The reactions are unpredictable, and only occur in certain people. These reactions may include an unexpected side effect, medication intolerance, reactions allergic and allergic immune reactions.
Allergy to common drugs
People can experience allergic reactions to almost any drug, although some are more common than others. Here is a list of allergies to common medications (or not allergy, in some cases):
1. Penicillin (and all related antibiotics). Approximately 1 in 10 people reports a history of an "allergic reaction" to penicillin. It is much less than 10% of those who think they are allergic to penicillin they really are. However, people with a true allergy to penicillin, could have life-threatening anaphylaxis as a result, it is important to tell your doctor about your past, the reaction to medication. The skin test to penicillin may help determine if the last reaction was a true allergy or other side effects.
2. Cephalosporins (antibiotics and all related). Serious reactions to cephalosporins are much less common than with penicillins. However, there is a small chance that someone with an allergy to penicillin truth could also react to cephalosporins, because they are drug related. An allergist may be able to help determine whether antibiotics are safe for you.
3. Sulfonamides (including antibiotics, oral diabetes medications and some diuretics water pill). It is unclear whether these reactions are indeed due to allergic or other immune process. There is no reliable test to determine that a person is allergic to such drugs.
4. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. This class of drugs can cause allergic and nonallergic flares hives / swelling, worsened asthma, and result in anaphylaxis. There is no reliable test for most people with reactions to these drugs.
5. IV contrast medium. This is non-allergic reaction, but may result in anaphylaxis due to the high concentration of the dye causes the mast cells to release their contents, which mimics an allergic reaction. While there is no evidence of intravenous contrast reactions, most patients can take the dye safely taking oral steroids and antihistamines hours before the contrast. The contrast is generally in a less concentrated form to these patients. Let your doctor know If you have had a reaction to recent intravenous contrast before receiving again.
6. Local anesthetics. True allergic reactions to local anesthetics (novocaine, lidocaine) are extremely rare and usually due to other ingredients in the medicine, such as preservatives or epinephrine (present in local anesthetic to make the medicine last longer once injected). An allergist can test several local anesthetics and find one that works for almost everyone.
7. General anesthesia. Some medicines used during surgery are very common causes of true allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. If you think who experienced an allergic reaction during or shortly after surgery, an allergist can help determine the cause.
8. Medications anticonvulsants. Many medications used to treat epilepsy can cause an allergic reaction as a result of certain enzyme deficiencies in the person of taking this medicine. Symptoms can include rash, fever, body aches, and hepatitis. There is no evidence available for this type of reaction.
Management of Adverse Drug Reactions
1. Avoidance / Archive of the suspected medication. Very often, if a medicine is causing a person have an unpleasant reaction, the medication is stopped. Usually this is all that is needed to solve the problem.
2. The treatment of any allergies or not allergy symptoms. If the reaction is severe, such as anaphylaxis or Stevens-Johnson syndrome / toxic epidermal necrolysis, emergency treatment necessary.
3. Consideration of the evidence by an allergist. An allergist can help determine which drug caused the reaction and if there is evidence can be achieved.
4. Determining the need for current medication or replacement. If the person still has an infection, for example, another antibiotic may be required. A doctor can determine a safe alternative medication in this example.
5. Review of desensitization. In some cases unique is require a very specific medication. In most forms of a drug allergy, a person may be unresponsive to medication, giving very small amounts initially (oral or intravenous) with increasing doses over many hours. This is usually done in a hospital, given the possibility of life-threatening anaphylaxis, and should only be performed under the supervision of an allergist.
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