Unlike side effects, which are common and often expected reactions to a medication, allergies involve an immune response that can range from mild to severe.
What types of drug allergies are there?
Broadly speaking, there are two types of drug allergy; immediate and non-immediate. These can range in severity from mild through to severe.
While any medication has the potential to cause an allergic reaction, some medications are more commonly associated with allergies. These include:
Immediate type drug allergy often present with following symptoms:
Non-immediate type drug allergy typically presents with skin symptoms, but can present with fever and systemic symptoms if severe.
While any medication has the potential to cause an allergic reaction, some medications are more commonly associated with allergies. These include:
Diagnosis typically involves a combination of medical history, physical examination, and may involve allergy testing, such as skin prick tests or blood tests.
It is important to differentiate a drug allergy from an adverse reactions to a medication. For example, nausea with antibiotic use is a common adverse reaction, but is not a food allergy.
