Medicinal allergy

Drug allergy occurs if a person has developed an immune response to one or more of the components of the drug. It can manifest itself as a relatively harmless urticaria, which disappears after several hours and is characterized by a minor localization, but it may also be in a more severe form, threatening the life of the patient: for example, laryngeal edema, bronchospasm and other adverse symptoms in the absence of timely medical care lead to death.

Causes of a drug allergy

As a rule, allergies to medicines develop in those who are genetically inclined to it. The fact is that allergies are generally perceived as an inadequate immune response to a substance. Immunity considers it "enemy", even if it has entered the body to establish work - for example, an antibiotic for the destruction of bacteria. To avoid such confusion, there is a special gland in the body that "teaches" immune cells to distinguish what needs to be destroyed (for example, viruses and bacteria), but what is beneficial to the body and does not need destruction. When the "learning" process fails or there is inadequate information (for genetic reasons), then autoimmune diseases or allergic reactions occur.

Another reason for the drug allergy is toxicity. If the concentration of the substance in the body reaches the limit (and this can be due to excessive frequent use, and because of the poor work of the "filters" of the body - the kidneys and the liver), then naturally, the body itself starts a fight against a large amount of foreign matter.

How is the drug allergy manifested?

Symptoms of a drug allergy are extensive, and they can be classified by the time of development:

1. Immediate allergy. Anaphylaxis is a fast reaction of an organism to a foreign substance, it develops within 10-30 minutes. It is characterized by the defeat of several areas of the body, and usually combines several symptoms: bronchospasm, pruritus, laryngeal edema, Quincke's edema, urticaria, etc. Also, an allergy that occurs in the first minutes after taking the medication can manifest a lighter form with only one symptom: itching, urticaria, or edema of Quincke.
2. Accelerated allergy. Allergies that occur in the first few hours after taking the medicine may be accompanied by Quincke's edema and urticaria: this is the most common manifestation of a drug allergy.
3. Late allergy. It may appear several days after taking the medication, so it is not easy to find out the cause of the allergic reaction in such cases. Characteristic symptoms here are drug fever and korepobodnoy rash.

Diagnosis of drug allergy

For diagnosis, a laboratory analysis for drug allergy is used, which includes several areas of research:

1. Evaluation of the immune system for the presence of mediators of allergic inflammation.
2. Determination of inhibition of migration of leukocytes.
3. Search for immunoglobulin E (specific).
4. Evaluation of degranulation of mast cells.

These data can be obtained by donating blood from the vein. They will help to find out to the doctor what immune processes occur in the body in order to confirm or disprove the allergy.

How to treat a medicinal allergy?

Treatment of drug allergy occurs in three directions: first aid, cleansing the body and taking antihistamines with a possible correction of the immune system.

Medicines for allergies

With a strong reaction, as a first aid, the patient is administered corticosteroid preparations, the amount of administration of which depends on the extent of localization of the allergy. As a rule, they are not used for long, because the adrenal glands are sensitive to such medicines. Along with this, the patient is administered antihistamines and calcium gluconate in large quantities, to reduce vascular permeability and lower the level of histamine.

After this, the patient is usually prescribed to take antihistamines daily for a month. When relapses, some specialists decide to adjust the immune system with the help of immunocorrectors, which are administered intramuscularly according to an individual scheme.

Diet for drug allergies

At this time in the diet of the patient should be absent sharp, salty, acidic and bitter ingredients: optimally there are light soups, cooked vegetables and meat (beef).