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Drug Allergy and Adverse Drug Reactions

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Allergy and Asthma

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Abstract

Adverse reactions to drugs are common and may result in increased healthcare utilization and cost. It is important to distinguish between medication side effects and hypersensitivity, as recommendations regarding medication use and diagnostic testing depend on this classification. Hypersensitivity is driven by immune reactions to medications and can be categorized according to the Gell and Coombs classification, as discussed in this chapter. Hypersensitivity to antibiotics account for a majority of allergic drug reactions. However, reactions can occur to almost any drug, and allergy to anesthetics, chemotherapeutic agents, NSAIDs, biologics, and radiocontrast are important considerations. This chapter will review the mechanisms and clinical features that underlie allergy to each of these classes of medications. Furthermore, approaches to diagnosis and management of drug hypersensitivity will be discussed. The chapter will also review severe drug reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, and drug rash with eosinophils and systemic symptoms, as these are life threatening reactions that require immediate recognition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Section of Allergy and Immunology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

    Faoud T. Ishmael

  2. Department of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA

    Faoud T. Ishmael, Ronaldo Paolo Panganiban & Simin Zhang

Authors
  1. Faoud T. Ishmael
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  2. Ronaldo Paolo Panganiban
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  3. Simin Zhang
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Correspondence to Faoud T. Ishmael .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Milton S Hershey Med Ctr, Penn State University Milton S Hershey Med Ctr, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA

    Timothy Craig

  2. Suite 502, Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Suite 502, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Dennis K. Ledford

Section Editor information

  1. Penn State University, Hershey, PA, USA

    Tim Craig

  2. Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Massoud Mahmoudi

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Ishmael, F.T., Panganiban, R.P., Zhang, S. (2018). Drug Allergy and Adverse Drug Reactions. In: Craig, T., Ledford, D. (eds) Allergy and Asthma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58726-4_22-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58726-4_22-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-58726-4

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