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Adverse drug reactions - Management
How should I manage someone with a suspected adverse drug reaction?
- When managing an individual with a suspected adverse drug reaction (ADR):
- Assess the reaction:
- Arrange emergency hospital admission if the ADR is serious or life threatening.
- Assess whether the ADR can be managed in primary care.
- Consider seeking specialist advice.
- Review and discuss treatment with the individual:
- Stop use of the suspected drug if the ADR is serious or at the request of the individual, and avoid its use in future.
- Consider alternative drug therapy if treatment of the original condition is still required.
- Consider altering the dose or temporarily stopping drug treatment if the benefit to harm balance of drug treatment is favourable.
- Consider the effects of concomitant therapy (drug interactions).
- Consider the possibility of withdrawal effects if drug treatment is stopped suddenly.
- Manage symptoms of the ADR as appropriate:
- Explain the benefits and harms if another drug is prescribed to treat the ADR.
- Record the ADR in the individual's health record.
- Consider submission of an ADR report (Yellow Card) if appropriate.
- See the CKS topics on Angio-oedema and anaphylaxis and Urticaria.
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