{"id":56062,"date":"2022-12-29T09:30:47","date_gmt":"2022-12-29T14:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=56062"},"modified":"2026-03-23T16:56:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T20:56:42","slug":"pharmacist-intervention-adverse-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/pharmacist-intervention-adverse-event\/","title":{"rendered":"How pharmacists can counsel patients on a bad reaction to a new medication"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the United States alone,<\/span> more than 4 billion prescriptions are filled<\/span><\/a> every month to treat various illnesses. Some of these medications carry a risk of rare but serious drug reactions that could land a person in the emergency room. Due to a lack of recognition and a paucity of communication between patients and healthcare providers, millions of reactions may go unreported every year. Fortunately, there are ways pharmacists can help to identify adverse drug actions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of reactions to medications<\/b><\/h2>\n

Even thinking about your patients having a medication reaction can be frightening. While most reactions are mild and easy to manage, some can be severe and even life-threatening.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first step in identifying or managing a medication reaction is knowing what you’re dealing with. Drug reactions may be immunologic or non-immunologic. Meaning, they may be caused by the immune system or other factors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Immunologic reactions<\/b><\/h3>\n

Immunologic reactions are reactions that involve a response by the immune system to a drug. Otherwise known as hypersensitivity or allergic reactions, these types of reactions can come in various forms and cause different symptoms, including itching, rash, hives, and flushing of the skin. Examples of hypersensitivity reactions include <\/span>anaphylaxis<\/span><\/a>, which can cause swelling of the throat and trouble breathing, and <\/span>Stevens-Johnson syndrome<\/span><\/a>, which can cause blisters and severe rash on the skin. These types of reactions can be severe and require immediate medical attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nonimmunologic reactions<\/b><\/h3>\n

Nonimmunologic reactions are reactions that don\u2019t involve the immune system and are not typically considered true allergic reactions. Instead, these non-allergic adverse reactions may be caused by the drug itself or unknown reasons. These types of reactions include drug toxicity, <\/span>drug intolerance<\/span><\/a>, and idiosyncratic reactions. Usual drug side effects and interactions also fall under nonimmunologic reactions, which make up the majority of reactions experienced while taking a medication.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of an adverse drug reaction<\/b><\/h2>\n

An adverse drug reaction is any undesirable or harmful effect caused by taking a medication. This can be anything from a mild headache to coma or death.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many different symptoms of an adverse drug reaction, and they vary depending on the type of drug your patients are taking and how they react to it. If your patients have recently started a new medication or changed dosage of an existing medication, some symptoms of adverse drug reactions may include:<\/span><\/p>\n