Drug allergies, a relatively less known condition, can be quite a serious side effect of prescription medication. The common culprits are antibiotics, pain relief medication and anaesthetic medications. However, almost any medication can cause allergic reactions in specific patients. So what are your options, and how can you safely take medication? We spoke to Dr Saibal Moitra, Adjunct professor and senior consultant in the Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Respiratory Medicine at Apollo Multispecialty Hospital, Kolkata to bring you the answer.

In cases of Drug induced allergy, patients most often come into the emergency with various symptoms that indicate an allergic manifestation. The most common of these symptoms are shortness of breath, swelling in various parts or across the body, a choking sensation, or a rash. In fact, even OTC medication for such individuals can case anaphylaxis. In these cases, emergency attention is imperative.

In fact, drug allergies can actually present as very severe symptoms, depending on the allergen and the patient’s sensitivity to the same. Symptoms of a major allergic reaction to drugs can present as collapsing, loss of consciousness, or no BP or pulse. When patients come into the emergency to such manifestations, they are immediately admitted to the critical care unit so that adequate treatment and monitoring can be provided.

Medicine allergies can be quite bad. In severe cases they also cause death. But the good news is that they can be prevented with proper evaluation and management of the condition. When being evaluated, the doctor will usually check for existing conditions like allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, metopic dermatitis, or certain food allergies, that increase your risk of developing an allergy to a medicine. Family history of drug induced allergies also increase an individual’s risk.

Such evaluation, especially prior to a surgery, should be carried out by a team of experienced doctors which must include your allergist, primary physician, internist and the anaesthetist. So, if you suspect that you might be allergic to certain medications because of a pre-existing condition or a food allergy, always ensure you consult a good doctor at a reputed hospital, like Apollo Multispecialty Hospital. Needless to say, the same holds true if you are suffering from any of the symptoms and are considering emergency care.

This report is published in a joint venture with Apollo Multispeciality Hospital Kolkata.