Page 24 - Pharmaquest issue 1 2020

2. Ask the history of previous
The long term effects after drug reactions, allergy or idiosyncrasy to

exposure can create causal drugs.

relationship between the adverse 3. Ask if the patient is taking
effects and drug which later may other drugs to prevent any drug

become hard to establish the interactions that may occur.

interactions between them. They are 4. Make suitable dose adjustments

often irreversible by the time they for the elderly and for patients
are detected and are therefore very with hepatic or renal disease.

serious. Pharmacogenetic factors may also

Teratogenic effects are adverse be responsible for variation in
effects of the drug on the fetus due to metabolism of drugs, e.g. isoniazid

consumption of certain drugs by the and tricyclic antidepressants.

mother during pregnancy. Prescribers 5. Prescribe as few drug as possible,

should report all congenital use drugs with which you are familiar
abnormalities if they are suspected to and give clear instruction so as not to

be caused by drugs. be misunderstood.

6. Use a new drug cautiously and if
Factors which predispose to adverse serious reactions are expected, warn

drug reactions are overdose, the patient.

error during dose adjustments
or relative overdose due to age Reference

or disease. Prescribers are urged National Formulary;

to help by reporting adverse Retrieved from : http://apps.who.int/
reactions to the ADR Regional medicinedocs/documents/s23538en/

Centers or Department of Drug s23538en.pdf

Administration.

Prescribers should be particularly Shelby Leheny.(2017, February
alert when drugs are given to the 20) ‘Adverse Event,’ Not the Same

elderly. as ‘Side Effect’.Retrieved from :

Prevention of adverse https://www.pharmacytimes.com/

reactions: contributor/shelby-leheny-pharmd-

1. Never use a drug without good candidate-2017/2017/02/adverse-

indication. If the patient is pregnant, event-not-the-same-as-side-effect
do not use a drug unless the need for

it is imperative. 14