Many antibiotics can cause allergic reactions. One of the most common allergies is to antibiotics with the active ingredient penicillin, such as amoxicillin.
Amoxicillin is one of the so-called ß-lactam antibiotics and is also a broad spectrum antibiotic that can be administered in the form of drugs or as an infusion.
General information about this antibiotic can be found at: Amoxicillin
The allergic reaction can show up immediately after taking the medication or it can occur up to several days later. A distinction is therefore made between an amoxicillin allergy from the immediate type and the late type.
The immediate reactions include a typical rash in the case of allergies, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fever, malaise, swollen lymph nodes or even an allergic shock.
Confusion can also be a possible hypersensitivity reaction.
If there is an existing allergy to the active ingredient amoxicillin, later reactions occur much more frequently. They often only become noticeable between the 5th and 14th day after the administration of the drug. How difficult the reaction to the active ingredient is often depends on the dose of the drug, but also on the type of administration. Antibiotic administration by injection or intravenously is much more violent than oral medication.
An allergic shock is also more likely to occur with intravenous administration of antibiotics and usually appears immediately after administration. The shock rarely occurs days later.
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The rash can occur immediately as part of an allergic reaction to amoxicillin or only a few days after the administration of the allergy-causing drug. The severity of the rash can appear in different ways.
Small reddening of the skin over a large area or eczema can occur.
The rash can also appear in the form of wheals. Wheals are bumps on the skin of various sizes that usually appear together with reddening and itching. If the drug is administered intravenously from the Braunule, the rash can spread, so that it can be recognized at an early stage and the use of the drug can also be stopped early.
In addition to the wheals, the more unpleasant pustules can also occur. These are often pimple-like small blisters. As a stronger variant, they can be filled with some tissue fluid and also become more inflamed. They can also cause unpleasant itching. The severity of the rash depends mostly on the dose of the incompatible drug (amoxicillin) and on the patient himself.
Read a lot more information on this topic at: Amoxicillin rash
The therapy of a hypersensitivity reaction to amoxicillin initially involves eliminating the triggering substance as quickly as possible. They should not be added to the body as soon as possible until it has been clarified exactly which active ingredient is causing an allergy.
If the allergic reaction manifests itself in the form of milder symptoms such as a rash or hives, an antihistamine can be given to the patient. It quickly relieves the discomfort.
For gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea and diarrhea, antiemetic drugs and those that keep the electrolyte balance in balance can be taken. In addition, fluids can be given to the patient if symptoms are more severe and the patient is losing a lot of water due to the diarrhea.
In the more severe cases such as an asthma attack or an allergic shock, immediate countermeasures must be taken, as these reactions can also turn into an emergency with more complications. In the event of an asthma attack, the patient is given bronchodilator medication so that he can breathe better again. In a shock situation the circulation can derail. This can be accompanied by an enormous drop in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate. Therefore, treatment and continuous monitoring of the patient in the intensive care unit may also be necessary. There his vital parameters are measured regularly and he is given medication to stabilize the circulation.
If a hypersensitivity reaction has occurred for the first time, the treating doctor should issue the patient with an allergy passport. The allergic reaction to a specific drug or active ingredient is documented there.
The patient should always have the allergy pass with them so that they can be informed of the existing allergy in the event of an emergency, first aiders or doctors. In addition, the patient should always report his allergy to upcoming treatments, as chemically related antibiotics can also cause an allergic reaction.
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$config[ads_text3] not foundThe duration of the allergic reaction to the active ingredient amoxicillin depends on its severity, on the patient himself and how quickly the drug causing the problem is removed from the body or no longer supplied to him. Smaller rashes that were noticed early on often go away on the same day. Other symptoms such as wheals, pustules, eczema, gastrointestinal complaints and malaise can last for several days. Your improvement can then be brought about through targeted treatment. In the worst case, an allergic shock occurs, which can also be a life-threatening emergency. The shock can last longer up to days and in some cases intensive medical treatment lasting several days is necessary.
The amoxicillin belongs to the group of penicillins. Since an allergy to amoxicillin is also an allergy to the other penicillins, these cannot be given either, although they have a similar spectrum of activity. Furthermore, a penicillin allergy can also be an allergy to cephalosporins.
Depending on the bacterial disease, a different antibiotic must then be used.
Often it is an antibiotic from the group of fluoroquinolones or macrolides. In the case of pneumonia, fluoroquinolones (e.g. levofloxacin) or macrolides (e.g. clarithromycin) are used as alternatives. In tonsillitis, macrolides are used e.g. Erythromycin or clindamycin given.
Helicobacter pylori eradication is also often performed with amoxicilin. Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that is associated with gastric ulcers. Metronidazole is used here instead of amoxicilin.
In the case of borreliosis, which is transmitted via ticks, doxycycline is used as an alternative. In addition to these common indications for amoxicillin, there are many other diseases for which amoxicillin is used.
In some cases, a swab is used to test directly which antibiotics can be used against the bacterium.
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The antibiotic class of the cephalosporins also belongs to the beta-lactams and therefore also contains similar building blocks against which the antibodies of amoxicillin allergy sufferers can be directed. There is therefore a four-fold higher probability of an allergy to cephalosporins in the case of an already existing amoxicillin or penicillin allergy. However, it makes sense to carry out an allergy test, as cephalosporins are important antibiotics in the treatment of bronchial infections, otitis media, pneumonia and infection prophylaxis in the course of operations.
The antibiotics from the group of penicillins are among those most commonly used in the treatment of many diseases. Accordingly, they also play a major role in the development of an allergy. Since there are many different penicillins, such as natural penicillin G and V, aminopenicillins or penicillinase-resistant penicillins, the allergic reactions to the active ingredient are also different. The natural penicillins usually trigger an immediate-type reaction. This manifests itself as an urticarial skin rash with wheals, eczema, angioedema or even up to a life-threatening anaphylactic shock with respiratory and circulatory problems. Rapid treatment is urgently needed here. The aminopenicillins, on the other hand, often only trigger a reaction a few days after treatment with the drug. The late-onset allergy often manifests itself in the form of a rash. Since the different penicillins are very similar in their chemical structure, it is possible to react similarly to another antibiotic from this group if you have suffered an allergy. Therefore, this group should be largely avoided and other antibiotic preparations should be used for treatment.
Read more on the topic : Rash after penicillin.
In the case of an allergy there is an excessive reaction of the immune system after contact with a substance that is recognized as foreign. The immune system orients itself on certain building blocks (antigens). The body then forms antibodies against these building blocks. These are small molecules that fit exactly onto the antigens like a key in a lock, so that they clump and are marked for breakdown by phagocytes.
$config[ads_text1] not foundVarious substances, such as Medicines can contain similar building blocks. In the case of an allergy to a drug, the body may recognize these building blocks in structurally closely related drugs and react with an allergic reaction.
Amoxicillin belongs to the large group of penicillins, which wear a beta-lactam ring to fight bacteria and are very similar in structure. Thus, if you are allergic to amoxicillin, the body will have an allergic reaction when taking other penicillins (e.g. penicillin G, penicillin V or ampicillin).
Read more on the topic: Cross allergy
An inheritance of the amoxicillin allergy has not yet been proven. However, it may be possible that if this allergy occurs frequently in one family. In general, there may be a disposition for allergic reactions if the parents also have increased allergies to medication or other substances. Therefore, if there is a possibility of an allergy to a certain substance, the doctor should be informed about it in any case. This will prevent complications during treatment with amoxicillin.
In a detailed anamnesis, it can first be worked out whether symptoms have already occurred after taking a certain drug (e.g. against the active ingredient amoxicillin) and how these were expressed. A skin test can then be performed.
Similar to the clarification of allergies to pets or food, the so-called prick test is also used to clarify drug intolerance.
It is particularly helpful in the case of allergic reactions of the immediate type in order to determine the active ingredient that triggers the allergy. The various possible causes are applied to the forearm. The skin is lightly scratched so that the substance comes into contact with the tissue more quickly and a symptom shows up immediately if there is an allergy.
Furthermore, an intracutaneous test can be used for clarification, which is similar to the prick test, but the medication is injected into the subcutaneous layer of skin.
If these tests remain unsuccessful and no substance can be reliably identified as the person responsible for the allergy, there is still the option of carrying out a provocation test. During this test, smaller amounts of the possible allergy-causing drug (in this case: amoxicillin) are administered. In this way it can be observed which active substance the patient clearly reacts to. However, this test should only be carried out under strict observation and if no serious reactions are to be expected, as anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening situation.
Various blood tests can also be carried out. In an allergic reaction, the body makes antibodies of the IgE type, which are typical of an immediate reaction. If they are increased in the blood, this can be an additional indication. In addition, tryptases can also occur more frequently in the blood. They belong to the mast cell-activating mediators and are therefore increased in the blood in the event of an acute or previous allergic reaction.
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