Allergy to Non-Antibiotic Drugs

This chapter discusses the background, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for allergy to non-antibiotic drugs. A drug allergy is a hypersensitivity drug reaction that results from a specific immunologic mechanism (either drug-specific antibody or T cell) to a medication. It is usually unpredictable, occurs in a susceptible subgroup of patients, and has signs and symptoms that are not a result of the pharmacologic actions of the drug. Immunologic reactions are classified into four types according to the Gell and Coombs system: The type I reaction is immediate in onset and mediated by IgE and mast cells and/or basophils. The type II reaction is delayed in onset and caused by antibody-mediated cell destruction. The type III reaction is delayed in onset and caused by immune complex deposition and complement activation. The type IV reaction is delayed in onset and T-cell mediated.