When foreign bodies enter the human body, the immune system is activated and tries to neutralize their action and remove them. In some cases, such a reaction may occur to medications.
Allergy to penicillin does not depend on age and may increase or even disappear with time. If you experience an acute reaction to this drug, you are more likely to experience allergic reactions to other antibiotics.
Allergy to penicillin - what is it?
This antibiotic was one of the first to be invented, so it has a complex structure and high molecular weight. Because of this, it has a negative effect on humans, despite its rather high efficiency.
If you are allergic to penicillin, you can use drugs from another group of antibiotics, of course, after consulting a qualified specialist. Given that the likelihood of an allergic reaction to penicillin reaches 29%, then the possibility of alternative treatment is a real way out.
However, changes in well-being after taking this antibiotic are not always a manifestation of an allergy. Sometimes this is an individual reaction of the body -side effects of the drug. In most cases, they go away on their own, without medical intervention.
An allergic reaction can occur in two stages:
- smoothed response;
- strong reaction.
In the first case, the symptoms develop gradually and worsen if you continue to take the substance that causes the allergy. The second case requires immediate medical attention.
In order not to lead to emergency medical intervention, it is necessary to report all changes in well-being after taking the drug to the attending physician. An allergic reaction to penicillin can lead to intolerance to other antibiotics.
For example, if a person is allergic to penicillin, ceftriaxone can cause a similar reaction. Such facts must be taken into account when prescribing a course of treatment.
Main causes of allergies
The main reason is a specific reaction of the immune system, so an allergy to penicillin is very dangerous. In addition, some factors may contribute to its development, among them:
- Weakened state of immunity.
- Increased sensitivity to various allergens.
- Using a drug when there is already another allergic reaction.
You should also be careful about using penicillin if you have had a non-standard reaction to it before. In such cases, experts recommend preliminary skin tests and, based on the results,make decisions.
Allergy symptoms
The problem is that penicillin allergy symptoms do not appear the first time the drug is used. It takes some time for the immune system to "figure out" whether proteins are foreign and how to respond to them.
Symptomatics can be both local and systemic. If in the first case changes can be observed only in a separate organ or group of organs, then in the second they will affect the entire body.
The strength of the reaction depends on the sensitivity to the allergen. If the allergic reaction is violent, then a very small amount of the allergic substance is quite enough.
Conversely, if the sensitivity is very weak, then it will take just an impressive dose to show at least some symptoms. Most common manifestations:
- Rash of various kinds occurs most often.
- Jaundice. As a result of the breakdown of red blood cells, skin color changes.
- Edema. Usually affects mucous membranes and soft tissues.
- Anaphylactic shock.
Usually a rash on the skin is accompanied by quite severe itching. In rare cases, blistering has been observed, accompanied by peeling of the epidermis.
Possible allergic reaction with edema or epidermal necrolysis which can be fatal.
For the disappearance of symptoms, it is necessary to stop using penicillin. With repeated use of the antibiotic, a negative reactionobserved almost always.
Treatment
When the first signs of allergy appear, stop taking penicillin immediately. The nature of further actions will depend on the reaction to the drug.
If the allergy is mild, then it is quite enough to take certain drugs: Fexofenadine, Loratadine orally and Suprastil or Tavegil intramuscularly.
If an allergic reaction is accompanied by anaphylactic shock or Quincke's edema, then Epinephrine must be administered very quickly. In case of its absence, you can use "Dexamethasone" or "Prednisolone".
When a rash appears, you can use an anti-inflammatory ointment. If it does not help or the rash gets worse, you should consult a specialist.
If necessary, administer the antibiotic intramuscularly or intravenously, this should be done by a he alth worker in the hospital. In addition, after the injection, you need to be under the supervision of a doctor for at least 30 minutes. This is due to the possibility of severe allergic reactions after the injection.
If you are allergic to penicillin, treatment can be carried out at home, but you should be very careful about the slightest changes in well-being. Any deterioration should be noted and reported to the attending physician.
Analogues of penicillin
If a person is allergic topenicillin, than to replace it - this is quite an adequate question. Specialists usually simply choose drugs from another group. It is not recommended to make a choice on your own, because you can seriously aggravate the situation.
Today there are a lot of drugs that can fully replace the antibiotic of the penicillin group. For example, amoxicillin for penicillin allergy shows good results. In some cases, additional antibiotic therapy may be required.
Allergy in a child
Allergy to penicillin in a child is accompanied by almost the same symptoms as in adults. Only in most cases it is stormy and develops very quickly.
To minimize the possibility of an allergic reaction:
- follow dosage;
- number of injections;
- intervals between doses.
When the first signs of high sensitivity to the drug appear, you need to stop using it, and if you feel worse and the process flows into a difficult stage, you must immediately call an ambulance.
When a rash appears after taking penicillin, the doctor makes recommendations and informs the drug that will replace the antibiotic of the penicillin group.
When to see a doctor
As soon as a person notices unusual changes in their body or deterioration in well-being after taking an antibiotic, experts recommend notslow down and go to the hospital immediately. If you are allergic to penicillin, the consequences can be very different, up to death.
No need to risk your own he alth and hope that everything will pass by itself. Only a specialist can correctly assess the situation and make the right decision.
Possible Complications
When antibiotics are prescribed, penicillin allergy is quite common. Although one in three people may experience it, there are some factors that can significantly increase the likelihood of it occurring:
- presence of allergy to other drugs;
- frequent use of penicillin or high doses;
- food and other allergies;
- high drug sensitivity in relatives;
- presence of certain types of diseases.
Prevention
The only 100% way to prevent is not to take the drug. To do this, you should follow some recommendations from experts:
- Tell a he althcare worker that you are allergic to penicillin. If he does not ask, be sure to say so, but it is better to make sure that there is a corresponding entry in the medical records.
- Special bracelet. It is advisable to have such an accessory with you. It displays basic information about human he alth, including allergic reactions.
- Get an adrenaline auto-injector. It is especially important if the allergy occurs in a severe stage and can lead to sad consequences. Injector usuallyrecommended by the attending physician. He must teach how to use it.
How to prepare for a doctor's appointment
If an allergic reaction to penicillin occurs, then at the first visit of a specialist, he will ask a lot of questions. The accuracy and correctness of the diagnosis and course of treatment will depend on the quality and completeness of the answers.
To answer all questions as accurately as possible, you need to follow some recommendations:
- Write down in detail what drugs were taken and when. This is useful not only for allergies.
- If there were any consequences, please state which ones.
- Symptoms and the chronology of their occurrence.
- Are you taking any other medication besides the antibiotic.
- Are dietary supplements included and timing of medications.
- Presence of diseases: chronic, genetic and others.
- Do relatives have allergies.
If you take notes immediately after the onset of any symptom, then this does not require much time, and the family history should generally be available to everyone in an accessible place. It will greatly simplify the work of most doctors in case of an emergency.
