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Drug Allergies: Immune System Mistakes |
If you have a drug allergy, your immune system mistakes a medication for a disease-causing agent. A reaction to aspirin results in allergy-like symptoms but doesn't involve the immune system.
It's typically the same process that occurs when people have allergic reactions to pollen, insect venom, animal dander or peanuts. Like many other allergies, a drug allergy can cause a range of responses from a mild rash to life-threatening effects on many body systems.
Your immune system recognizes the drug as a foreign substance and the body produces certain chemicals, such as large amounts of histamine in an attempt to expel the drug from your body.
Anaphylaxis, the most severe type of allergic reaction, may occur immediately after taking a drug, causing difficulty breathing, increased heart rate and decreased blood pressure. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, drugs that commonly cause allergic reactions include:
Antibiotics
Penicillins - Penicillin, Ampicillin, AmoxilCephalosporines - Keflex, Cefzil, Ceftin, Suprax, VantinSulfa - Septra, Bactrim, Pediazole
Anticonvulsants
Dilantin, Tegretol, Depakene, Lamictal
Insulin
From both pork and beef sources
The best thing you can do for a drug allergy is to stop taking the medicine that causes it. Be sure to wear a medical alert bracelet or other jewelry that lists your drug allergies. If you are in an emergency, this can save your life. You also should know what to do if you have an allergic reaction. Talk to your allergist about this and also ask if you can take another type of medicine.
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