3
Toxic effects of drugs
Learning objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:
1.
Define the term adverse drug reaction and explain the clinical significance of this reaction.
2.
List four types of allergic responses to drug therapy.
3.
Discuss five common examples of drug-induced tissue damage.
4.
Define the term poison.
5.
Outline the important factors to consider when applying the clinical decision making process to selected
situations of drug poisoning.
Glossary of key terms
blood dyscrasia:
bone marrow depression caused by drug effects on the rapidly multiplying cells of the bone marrow; lower-than-
normal levels of blood components can be seen
dermatological reactions:
skin reactions commonly seen as adverse effects of drugs; can range from simple rash to potentially fatal
exfoliative dermatitis
drug allergy:
formation of antibodies to a drug or drug protein; causes an immune response when the person is next exposed to that
drug
hypersensitivity:
excessive responsiveness to either the primary or the secondary effects of a drug; may be caused by a pathological
condition or, in the absence of one, by a particular person’s individual response
iatrogenesis/iatrogenic artifact:
inadvertent adverse effects or complications caused by, or as a result of, medical treatment or advice
poisoning:
overdose of a drug that causes damage to multiple body systems and has the potential for fatal reactions
stomatitis:
inflammation of the mucous membranes related to drug effects; can lead to alterations in nutrition and dental problems
superinfections:
infections caused by the destruction of bacteria of the normal flora by certain drugs, which allow other bacteria to
enter the body and cause infection; may occur during the course of antibiotic therapy
Test your current knowledge of the toxic effects of drugs with a PrepU Practice Quiz!
A
ll drugs are potentially dangerous. Even though chemi
cals are carefully screened and tested in animals and in
people before they are released as drugs, drug products
often cause unexpected or unacceptable reactions when
they are administered. Drugs are chemicals, and the
human body operates by a vast series of chemical reac
tions. Consequently, many effects can be seen when
just one chemical factor is altered. Today’s potent and
amazing drugs can cause a great variety of reactions,
many of which are more severe than those seen before.
ADVERSE EVENTS, ADVERSE DRUG
EVENTS AND ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS
An adverse event (AE) is a drug-related harm in a person
adminstered the drug but not necessarily caused by
the drug. An adverse drug event (ADE) is harm that
is caused by the use of a drug or inappropriate use of
a drug while an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is harm
directly caused by a drug at normal doses and is usually
preventable.
