Management of Adverse Reactions to Medications
There are various ways an adverse drug reaction is treated, since the causes of these reactions vary, and not all have a true allergic cause.- 1. Avoidance/removal of the suspect medication. Most often, if a medication is causing a person to have an unpleasant reaction, the medication is stopped. Usually this is all that is needed to resolve the problem.
- 2. Treatment of any allergic or non-allergic symptoms. If the reaction is severe, such as anaphylaxis, injected epinephrine may be needed. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis requires immediate medical attention.
- 3. Consideration of testing by an allergist. An allergist may be able to help determine what medication caused the reaction, although not all medications can be tested, since not all reactions are allergic
- 4. Determination of a need for current or replacement medication. If the person still has an infection, for example, another antibiotic may be required. A physician can determine a safe alternative medication in this instance.
- 5. Consideration of desensitization. In some unique cases, a very specific medication is needed. In most forms of true medication allergy, a person can be desensitized to the medication by giving very small amounts initially (orally or intravenously) with increasing doses over many hours. This is usually done in a hospital given the chance of life-threatening anaphylaxis, and should only be done under the supervision of an allergist.
Learn the basics of drug allergy, as well as can be done for specific medication allergies, such as to penicillin and sulfa allergy.
Sources:
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this site is for educational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for personal care by a licensed physician. Please see your physician for diagnosis and treatment of any concerning symptoms or medical condition. 1. Practice Parameters for Drug Hypersensitivity. Ann Allergy 1999; 83:S665-S700.
2. Macy E. Drug Allergies: What to expect, what to do. J Respir Dis. 2006;27:463-471.
3. Mellon MH, Schatz M, Patterson R. Drug Allergy. In: Lawlor GJ, Fischer TJ, Adelman DC, eds. Manual of Allergy and Immunology. 3rd ed. Boston: Little, Brown and Co;1995:262-289.
