Background
In general, adverse reactions to drugs are not uncommon, and almost any drug can cause an adverse reaction. The most common allergic reactions to drugs are those to the penicillins and related drugs. Drug allergies can cause severe symptoms including itching, hives (urticaria), airway obstruction (difficulty in breathing), fainting, and anaphylaxis.
Typically, a patient won't have an allergic reaction to a drug the first time it is taken, but rather, after several times the immune system becomes sensitized, and produces immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to the drug. Once sensitized to a drug, patients may develop a drug reaction to a related drug, even after taking it only a single time.
Incidence and Prevalence
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, true drug allergies – as opposed to nonallergic adverse reactions – account for fewer than 10% of all adverse reactions to medications. Skin reactions (such as itching) are the most common type of allergic drug reaction.
Cause and Risk Factors
True drug allergies occur when there is a reaction to a medication that consists of immune system hypersensitivity and an incorrect response to a substance that is harmless in most people. Once the body becomes sensitized (the immune system is triggered) to a drug, subsequent exposure causes an immune response, including the production of antibodies and release of histamine.
While most drug allergies merely cause minor irritations such as skin rashes and hives, other symptoms occasionally develop, and life-threatening acute allergic reactions involving the whole body (anaphylaxis) can occur. Serum sickness is a delayed type of drug allergy that occurs a week or more after exposure to a medication or vaccine.
Penicillin and related antibiotics are the most common cause of drug allergies. Other common allergy-causing drugs include sulfa drugs, anticonvulsants, insulin preparations (particularly animal sources of insulin), local anesthetics such as Novocain, and iodine (found in many x-ray contrast dyes).
List of Allergens
C217 Acetyl Salicylic Acid
C320 Acetylcysteine
C206 ACTH
C251 Allopurinol
C602 Aluminum Chloride
C603 Amalgam
C725 Amaranth
C322 Ambroxol
C701 Aminobenzoic Acid
C288 Aminoglycoside Mix
C604 Ammonium Persulfate
C204 Amoxicillin
C203 Ampicillin
C231 Articaine
C702 Ascorbic Acid
C327 Atropine Sulfate
C330 Benzalkonium Chloride
C703 Benzoic Acid
C285 Bupivacaine
C338 Carbamazepine
C309 Cefalexin
C308 Cefuroxime
C201 Cephalosporin Mix
C343 Chloromezanone
C609 Chromium
C003 Chymopapain
C307 Ciprofloxacin
C305 Clavulanic Acid
C306 Clindamycin
C310 Cloxacillin
C617 Cobalt
C726 Cochenille Red
C300 Codeine
C620 Cupric Chloride
C705 Cyclamic Acid
C350 Dexamethasone
C311 Diazepam
C281 Diclofenac
C354 Digitoxin
C216 Doxycycline
C212 Erythromycin
C611 Fluorescein
C700 Formic Acid
C375 Fosfomycin
C210 Furosemide
C213 Gentamicin
C707 Glutamic Acid
C214 Gold Chloride
C801 Haemophilus infl.
C613 Henna
C250 Hyaluronan
C381 Hydrochlorothiazide
C286 Ibuprofen
C282 Indomethacin
C071 Insulin (Bovine)
C073 Insulin ( Human)
C070 Insulin (Pork)
C616 Iodine (Sodium Iodide)
C615 Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol)
C386 Isosorbid Dinitrate
C388 Ketoprofen
C312 Lactose
C605 Lead Tetraacetate
C470 Lecithin
C391 Levothyroxine
C232 Lidocaine
C621 Lindane
C222 Macrolid Mix C233 Mepivacaine C635 Mercuric Chloride C294 Metamizole C623 Methacrylic Acid Ethoxy Ethyl C710 Methylene Blue C713 Methylparaben C398 Metronidazole C625 Molybdic Acid C283 Naproxen C628 Nickel Chloride C405 Nifedipine C409 Ofloxacin C225 Oxazepam C629 Palladium (2-Acetate) C209 Paracetamol/Acetaminophen C001 Penicillin G C002 Penicillin V C630 Pentachlorphenol (PCP) C417 Phenobarbital C255 Phenprocoumon C419 Phenylbutazone C304 Piroxicam C632 Platanic Chloride C099 Polylysine C424 Prednisolone C254 Prednisone C284 Procaine C280 Propionic Acid C714 Propylparaben C296 Propyphenazone C208 Pyrazolon Derivates C704 Quinoline Yellow C301 Rifampicin C715 Saccharose C712 Sodium Sulfite C716 Sorbic Acid C436 Spiramycin C295 Streptomycin C223 Sulfamethoxazole C202 Suxamethonium Chloride C639 Tannic Acid C717 Tartrazine C810 Tetanus C235 Tetracaine C211 Tetracycline C257 Theophylline C641 Thimerosal C243 Thiopental C649 Tin (-2-Chloride) C643 Toluene C718 Tomato Red C242 Trimethoprim C640 Turpentine C447 Verapamil C719 Vitamin B1 C721 Vitamin B12 C720 Vitamin B6 C708 Xanthan Gum C706 Yellow Orange C648 Zinc Chloride
