What Is a Drug Allergy?

A drug allergy is the abnormal reaction of your immune system to a medication. It can be developed even to a medication you’ve been taking for years. However, you may not experience the allergic reaction the first time you take a drug. It takes time for the immune system to identify it as harmful and develop an antibody that will attack the drug on the next exposure.

Penicillin is the most common type of drug allergy. The other medications that cause a reaction include pain-relievers – such as aspirin and ibuprofen, chemotherapy drugs for treating cancer, and medications for immune deficiency diseases.

Adverse symptoms can start within minutes of taking a medication or days later and range from mild to severe. Hives, itching, breathing problems, swelling or feeling dizzy are the common signs that indicate the allergic reaction.

Drug allergies are tricky. In some cases, people can mistake a drug allergy for a drug side effect.

The unpredictable nature of drug allergies requires a specialist to diagnose and manage them.