Drug allergies – unknown dangers to patients

Abstract

Background: Drug hypersensitivity reactions are unpredictable side effects. They are a frequent worry for clinicians of all disciplines. Available clinical and pathological data are scarce, as are diagnosis centers. Objective: To review the unmet needs in drug hypersensitivity clinical and basic research. Methods: A literature search was performed and expert opinions in the field were collected. Results/conclusion: Drug hypersensitivity reactions are not so rare adverse events. The mechanisms are multiple and a firm diagnosis is often possible. However, further research is needed.

Keywords::

• allergy diagnosis
• anaphylaxis
• drug allergy
• epidemiology
• hypersensitivity