Drug allergy - causes and signs of drug allergy

Drug allergic reactions are classified as follows:

• Systemic. Allergic reactions associated with circulating and humoral antibodies;
• Local. Allergic reactions that are associated with cellular antibodies.

Causes

The most popular medicinal foreign substances:

• Antibiotics;
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• Anesthetics;
• Analgesics;
• Anti-tuberculosis drugs;
• Vaccines;
• Serums;
• Impurities of medicinal products;
• Metabolism products of medicinal products.

Circumstances that contribute to allergies:

• Chemical composition of the drug;
• The degree of compatibility of the drug with human proteins of the body.

Circumstances under which complications of allergies manifest:

• Hereditary predisposition to allergies;
• Tendency to other types of allergies;
• Methods of drug administration.

An allergic reaction can manifest itself to any medication, regardless of age. The appearance is facilitated by increased sensitivity to the allergen.

Symptoms of drug allergy

The clinical picture of the disease has an individual nature of manifestation.

• Generalized rash; rash on the skin that resembles spots and blisters;
• Quincke's edema;
• Runny nose, nasal congestion and discomfort, accompanied by itching and sneezing;
• Breathing problems, coughing, shortness of breath, suffocation;
• Inflammation of the conjunctiva;
• The appearance of pinpoint hemorrhages on the skin and in the oral cavity;
• The appearance of abscesses;
• Formation of red blisters;
• The appearance of cyanotic nodes, accompanied by painful sensations, on the skin and subcutaneous tissue;
• Itching of the skin and its peeling;
• High temperature;
• Anaphylaxis. Accompanied by fainting, low blood pressure, increased heart rate. A condition that is extremely life-threatening.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic actions are as follows:

• Amnesis of inflammation and symptoms of the patient. Consists of determining the time of illness, the presence of skin itching, swelling. The specialist finds out what drugs were used before the onset of the allergy, how long ago, during what period the medicine was taken;
• Life history. Has the patient had allergic diseases in the past, if so, which ones; are there allergic pathologies in the patient's relatives;
• Examination. Determines the presence of swelling, skin rash, inflammation of the nose and eyes;
• General blood test. Determines the presence of eosinophilia, leukocytosis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
• Specific immunoglobulins E. The task of the procedure is to determine the drug that provoked the allergy. It is used in the case of using several drugs at once;
• Provocation test. Consists of introducing a drug to which a reaction could have occurred. If there is an allergy to any of the test drugs, inflammation and a blister appear on the skin. During testing, the patient should not have inflammation;
• Also, in some cases, a consultation with a therapist is required.

Treatment of drug allergies

Treatment of an allergic reaction is carried out by an allergist, and consists of the following:

• Elimination of the allergic source;
• Hypoallergenic diet. Consists of excluding from the diet foods that provoke inflammation of allergies (chocolate, citrus fruits, etc.);
• Glucocorticosteroids. Aimed at reducing the inflammatory process;
• Antihistamines. Eliminate the effects of histamine, reducing allergic reactions.

Prevention

Preventive measures for drug allergies include the following:

• Carefully study the instructions for the drug and its composition before treatment;
• The ratio of the drug dose to the patient's body weight and age;
• Exclusion of the use of medications that previously caused allergic inflammation;
• Medicines that previously caused allergic inflammation should be indicated in the patient's medical history and in outpatient cards;
• Avoid self-medication;
• Consult a qualified specialist regarding an alternative to the drug that caused the allergic reaction.