Features - Do you have the right prescription ?

Allergies can be difficult to deal with at the best of times, but imagine being ill and in need of treatment, yet being allergic to the medication that could cure you.

Words: Rachel Newcombe

According to a report published last year by the Royal College of Physicians, 'Drug allergy is increasingly common. Adverse drug reactions account for five per cent of all hospital admissions in the UK and up to 15 per cent of inpatients have a hospital stay prolonged as a result of drug allergy.' But these statistics are only thought to account for a minority of allergies to medication, as many more are diagnosed by doctors or remain unrecognised.

Allergic reactions to medications usually occur due either to an immune system response, or as a result of histamine release in the body being triggered by non-immune mechanisms, explained Dr. Adrian Morris, from the Surrey Allergy Clinic. Most reactions occur quickly, often within an hour, and include symptoms such as itchy rashes, urticaria ('hives'), dizziness, difficulty breathing, swelling and a rapid pulse rate.

The problem with allergies to medication is that, in the majority of cases, no-one knows it's going to cause a problem until it does. This isn't a pleasant situation for a patient to be in. But unless there's a family or personal history of other medication allergies to provide clues of possible outcomes, there's not a lot that can be done to prevent it.

Alternative drugs

If you do experience allergic reactions to medicines, there are usually alternatives available. 'The Erythromycin family of antibiotics are used for those allergic to Penicillin,' said Dr. Morris. In the case of anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, paracetamol can often be used instead.

As well as being allergic to drugs themselves, other allergy sufferers can experience problems when being prescribed medications. Many tablets, for example, contain lactose, which isn't suitable for people with a dairy allergy. In this instance, lactose-free tablets or liquid medications are available on request, so speak to your pharmacist.

If you have an allergy to medication, or have unknown symptoms and suspect an allergy may be the cause, always see your GP to get it checked out. 'It's important that a record is made of any allergy in your medical notes, so an alternative can be prescribed in the future,' explained a spokesperson for the Royal College of General Practitioners.

People with severe allergies may also benefit from wearing a MedicAlert bracelet, in case of accidents or emergencies, to ensure the problem is clear.

COMMON TYPES OF MEDICATIONS CAUSING PROBLEMS INCLUDE:

Anaesthetics, Opioid analgesics, ACE inhibitors, Antiseptics, Vaccines, Aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs, Antibiotics, Intravenous x-ray contrast fluids, Insulin.

Page created: 13 December 2004