Drug allergy

Many medicines may cause side-effects, among them allergic reactions too. First time when drugs get into the body, the body recognizes as a foreign producing special antibodies against it called lgE antibodies. The second encounter by drugs entering action released histamine.

What are the symptoms of drug allergy?

Symptoms of drug allergy vary from mild complaint to life treating. The drugs can also cause problems in non-allergic patients, for example abdominal pain. However, in allergy reaction the liberation of histamine results symptoms like hives, redness, itching body and eyes, and confusion. More serious reactions are labouring breathing, cyanotic skin, dizziness, nerves, rapid pulse, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Which drugs cause allergy?

Penicillin and related antibiotics are the most common cause of drug allergies. Other common allergy- causing drugs include:

• Anticonvulsants

• Insulin

• Iodine.

How drug allergy can be diagnosed?

The basic of the diagnosis is the medical history. In case of arising sings of the drug allergy, it can be controlled with an accepted policy called lymphocyte transformation test.

What is Lymphocyte transformation test?

Lymphocyte transformation test is the most modern diagnosis way of drug allergy. Nowadays, the long- used epucitan drug test is not used for drug allergy testing due to its not frequent but more severe side effects. The drug allergy relates to white blood cells –lymphocyte- allergy. During the formation the main role gets to these white blood cells not antibodies. They attack, activate themselves and remember which drug should act against. If they meet with the problematic drug – even in artificial conditions- , they activate. We can measure and record it with the lymphocyte transformation test.

How can we treat drug allergy?

The main way of treating drug allergy is decreasing symptoms with antihistamine, steroid, adrenalin and other drugs. The most important to avoid allergic drugs. Densensitization can be another solution.

What should I care?

If you have a known drug allergy, inform your doctor in all cases. If you can, wear a card on which indicates what kind of allergy medication causes allergy for you. It can safe your life!