A true allergy to a medication is different than a simple adverse
reaction to the drug. The allergic reaction occurs when the immune
system, having been exposed to the drug before, creates antibodies
to it. On subsequent exposure to the drug these antibodies cause
release of histamines. If severe, this reaction can result in a
life-threatening situation known as anaphylactic shock.
Review Date: 06/29/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of
Medicine; Paula J. Busse, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine,
Division of Clinical Immunology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine,
New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also
reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
