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Allergic diseases > Drug allergy
How to manage an allergic attack caused by drugs
Stopping the treatment with the drug that caused
the reaction is the first measure you should take. Most drug
allergies (and other adverse drug reactions as well) diminish in
hours to a few days after the cessation of treatment. However, it
would be advisable to consult your doctor about the decision to
stop the administration of the drug.
Tip: Unless you have developed a life threatening
allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis) don’t stop the treatment
without asking your doctor!
A few good reasons to see your doctor when you think that you have
an allergic reaction:
Anaphylaxis is a condition that can have a fatal outcome. When it occurs, it is usually a major emergency for which quick treatment is essential. If you have had an anaphylactic reaction before, your doctor should have given you a management plan to deal with emergency anaphylaxis situations. You need to know by heart all the steps of this plan to be able to follow them automatically.
This ensures that it will be easy to remember them even in the case of a panic attack that very often accompanies an anaphylactic reaction.
- Some reactions that occur while on drug treatment might not be
caused by the drug itself but have another cause For example skin
rashes are common signs of viral infections, particularly in
children. If the sick person is under medication, this rash can be
falsely interpreted to be an adverse effect of the
treatment.
- The more drugs that you are taking together, the more unlikely
it is that you would know for sure which drug is causing your
problem. You should ask your doctor to identify it.
- Sometimes the treatment you take is absolutely essential and
cannot be stopped (for example a person with rheumatoid arthritis
cannot live without aspirin or similar anti-inflammatory drugs). If
you are in such a situation don’t get desperate.
There are ways to overcome it and your doctor will know the best way to advise you. In most cases your doctor will probably prescribe an alternative drug with the same effect as the first one but without risk for allergy. In extreme situations when the drug cannot be replaced with another one, a doctor specialised in allergy may try a desensitisation procedure (in other words he will try to reverse your allergic response to the drug) which would allow you to continue the treatment for as long as necessary. (You might ask yourself why, if this possibility exists, it isn’t applied in the first place in all people with allergy.
There are several reasons: these procedures are laborious and difficult to carry out both for the doctor and for the patient; if the allergic reaction you have developed was severe (i.e. an anaphylactic reaction) desensitisation is not without risk; once the tolerance to the drug is achieved it does not last for ever, and maintaining it requires quite difficult steps and total commitment both from the doctor and the patient). For all these reasons desensitization to drugs is employed only when absolutely necessary.
Anaphylaxis is a condition that can have a fatal outcome. When it occurs, it is usually a major emergency for which quick treatment is essential. If you have had an anaphylactic reaction before, your doctor should have given you a management plan to deal with emergency anaphylaxis situations. You need to know by heart all the steps of this plan to be able to follow them automatically.
This ensures that it will be easy to remember them even in the case of a panic attack that very often accompanies an anaphylactic reaction.
Tip: Remember that the most important thing, if
you experience an anaphylactic reaction, is to use your epinephrine
(adrenaline) auto-injector.
Also, even if the symptoms fade away you must call the ambulance or
refer yourself to an emergency service or to your
doctor.
If you haven’t had an anaphylactic reaction before, tell someone, a family member or friend (if you are alone you can call someone), about the symptoms you are experiencing and call the ambulance telling them that they need to get to you quickly (if you are alone in the house make sure that your front door is unlocked so that people can enter your house to give you first aid). Administration of an antihistaminic drug may help (most probably it will not prevent the anaphylactic attack but may slow it’s progression).
To learn more about the warning signs of an anaphylactic reaction and about anaphylaxis, please visit the Anaphylaxis section.
Angioedema, particularly when it results in swelling of the throat and larynx, can also be a life-threatening manifestation of drug allergy. Even when occurring as the only expression of drug allergy, angioedema should receive the same treatment as an anaphylactic attack.
Other consequences of drug allergy do not usually imply a threat to life and give you time to consult a doctor who will decide the best management strategy for your problem. (In some situations cessation of treatment with the drug causing the reaction may be the only measure required).
If you haven’t had an anaphylactic reaction before, tell someone, a family member or friend (if you are alone you can call someone), about the symptoms you are experiencing and call the ambulance telling them that they need to get to you quickly (if you are alone in the house make sure that your front door is unlocked so that people can enter your house to give you first aid). Administration of an antihistaminic drug may help (most probably it will not prevent the anaphylactic attack but may slow it’s progression).
To learn more about the warning signs of an anaphylactic reaction and about anaphylaxis, please visit the Anaphylaxis section.
Angioedema, particularly when it results in swelling of the throat and larynx, can also be a life-threatening manifestation of drug allergy. Even when occurring as the only expression of drug allergy, angioedema should receive the same treatment as an anaphylactic attack.
Other consequences of drug allergy do not usually imply a threat to life and give you time to consult a doctor who will decide the best management strategy for your problem. (In some situations cessation of treatment with the drug causing the reaction may be the only measure required).