- Less serious signals
- More serious signs
- Is it possible to avoid this allergy?
- How to know if I'm allergic to any medication
Signs and symptoms of a drug allergy can appear immediately after taking an injection or inhaling the medicine, or up to 1 hour after taking a pill.
Some of the warning signs are the appearance of redness and swelling in the eyes and swelling of the tongue, which can prevent the passage of air. If there is such a suspicion, an ambulance should be called or the victim taken to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Some drugs like ibuprofen, penicillin, antibiotics, barbiturates, anticonvulsants and even insulin have a very high risk of causing allergies, especially in people who have already shown hypersensitivity to these substances. However, allergy can also arise even when the person has taken the medicine before and has never caused any type of reaction. See the remedies that usually cause drug allergy.
Less serious signals
The less serious signs that can occur with allergy to a medication are:
- Itching and redness in a region of the skin or throughout the body; Fever above 38ºC; Feeling of a runny nose; Red, watery and swollen eyes; Difficulty opening the eyes.
What to do:
If these symptoms are present, you can take an antihistamine, such as hydroxyzine tablet, for example, but only if the person is sure that he / she is not allergic to this medication as well. When the eyes are red and swollen, you can place a cold saline compress on the area, which helps to reduce swelling and discomfort. If there are no signs of improvement within 1 hour or if more severe symptoms appear in the meantime, you should go to the emergency room.
More serious signs
The allergy caused by medications can also lead to anaphylaxis, which is a serious allergic reaction that can put the patient's life at risk, which can present symptoms such as:
- Swelling of the tongue or throat; Difficulty breathing; Dizziness; Feeling faint; Mental confusion; Nausea; Diarrhea; Increased heart rate.
What to do:
In these cases, you should call an ambulance or take the person to the hospital immediately, because they are at risk of life. Also in the ambulance, first aid can be started with the administration of antihistamines, corticosteroids or bronchodilator drugs, to facilitate breathing.
In the case of an anaphylactic reaction, it may be necessary to administer an injection of adrenaline and the patient must be hospitalized for a few hours so that his vital signs are constantly evaluated, avoiding complications. It is generally not necessary to be admitted to the hospital and the patient is discharged as soon as the symptoms disappear.
Find out what are the first aid measures for anaphylactic shock
Is it possible to avoid this allergy?
The only way to avoid an allergy to a certain medication is to not use that medication. Thus, if the person has previously developed allergy symptoms after using a certain medication or knows that he or she is allergic, it is important to notify doctors, nurses and dentists before starting any type of treatment, in order to avoid complications.
Being accompanied by information that you are allergic to any medication is a good way for the person to protect themselves, as always using a bracelet with the type of allergy, indicating the names of each medication.
How to know if I'm allergic to any medication
The diagnosis of allergy to a certain medication is usually made by the general practitioner by observing the clinical history and symptoms developed after use.
In addition, the doctor may order an allergy test that consists of applying a drop of the drug to the skin and observing the reaction. However, in some cases, the risk of taking the test is very high and, therefore, the doctor can diagnose the allergy based only on the patient's history, especially when there are other drugs that can replace this medicine. Learn more about how to identify drug allergies early.
