Via practica 4/2018
Lieky ako významný spúšťač hypersenzitívnych reakcií
Drugs as a significant trigger for hypersensitivity reactions
Hypersensitivity drug reactions represent a significant proportion of adverse drug reactions. In the pathogenesis of drug reactions, immunological mechanisms are used in addition to non-immunological mechanisms. Despite significant advances in understanding the processes involved in the development of drug hypersensitivity reactions, there is a lot of uncertainty. The clinical picture is variable, ranging from mild and moderate manifestations such as skin lesions, urticaria through maculopapular rash to life-threatening conditions with the development of anaphylactic shock. Their occurrence and course are often unpredictable. Determining the diagnosis is demanding, requiring a complex process based on a clinical history, physical examination supplemented by in vivo tests and in vitro procedures. In the treatment of these conditions, the gold standard is the strict elimination of the causal drug from the patient‘s medication as well as possible cross-reactive preparations. In certain cases, when it is not possible to substitute adequately the drug, a corresponding alternative is the desensitization with induction of tolerance, possibility of treatment as well.
Keywords: drug hypersensitivity, allergy to drugs, diagnostics, laboratory methods
