In eight years, 330 cases of serious allergies to drugs have been identified by a network of French doctors. In 2% of cases, these allergies were fatal.
Lydia Cohen was allergic to amoxicillin. This patient knew it, it was mentioned in her medical file, and yet this drug allergy was fatal to her. Le Parisien revealed this case on July 10 and the investigation shows that the prescription assistance software used at the André Mignot hospital in Versailles did not mention this allergy to a drug that is very common. Amoxicillin is indeed one of the most prescribed antibiotics, to treat coughs, but also ear infections, sinusitis, urinary tract infections or other dental abscesses. In town and in hospitals, amoxicillin is the standard antibiotic.
Amoxicilin, the source of many side effects
However, this antibiotic would be the cause of many side effects. A study published in the journal The Lancet in 2012 demonstrated this. More than 2000 patients suffering from a respiratory infection with complications were divided into two groups: half received amoxicillin 3 times a day for 7 days, the other half received a placebo. Result: a much greater number of nausea, rash of pimples or even diarrhea in patients treated with the antibiotic … Drawbacks that can be considered minor but this study shows that the duration of pulmonary symptoms was almost identical in both groups. The researchers’ conclusion is clear: “Prescribing amoxicillin to people whose ENT infection does not degenerate into pneumonia has no effect on their cough and may even cause other undesirable symptoms”.
Fatal drug allergies in 2% of cases
Amoxicillin can also cause serious side effects, such as anaphylactic shock. This allergic reaction, which affects several organs, in most cases has serious consequences and can even be life-threatening. Until now, the number of cases of severe drug-induced anaphylaxis was unknown. And prescription assistance software is not all equipped with a drug allergy alert system. A network of French pulmonologists and allergists has identified them and they have just published their results in the journal Allergy. In the past eight years, there have been 330 recorded cases, and in 2% the outcome has been fatal.
Listen to Prof. Pascal Demoly, pulmonologist at the Montpellier University Hospital: “These cases of serious allergies concern fairly common drugs such as antibiotics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.”
These results clearly show that drug anaphylaxis is a rare adverse event, but it does exist and can often be serious. So it is important to diagnose it in order to identify the culprit and thus protect the patient from further contact.
Listen to Prof. Pascal Demoly : “We must give the patient lists of drugs to proscribe and find those that can replace them.”
.
