- This page was created by volunteers like you!
- Help us make it even better. To learn more about contributing to MEpedia, click here.
- Join the movement
- Visit #MEAction to find support or take action. Donate today to help us improve and expand this project.
Medicine sensitivities
This article needs cleanup to meet MEpedia's guidelines. The reason given is: This page needs additional references or sources for verification - multiple references need to be added. (2022) |
Medicine sensitivities or drug intolerance/sensitivity refers to an inability to tolerate the medication including any side effects when given at therapeutic or subtherapeutic doses.
A drug allergy is a form of drug intolerance that involves an immune-mediated component, and may cause anaphylactic shock.
Drug intolerance should not to be confused with drug tolerance (drug resistance) which refers to a lack of adverse effects even at higher than average doses. Some instances of drug intolerance are known to result from genetic variations in drug metabolism.[citation needed]
New medication intolerance is a common problem for ME/CFS patients, with some patients developing allergic reactions.[1]
Symptom recognition
- The International Consensus Criteria lists sensitivities to food, medications, odors or chemicals as an optional criteria for diagnosis, under the section C. Immune, gastro-intestinal and genitourinary Impairments.[2]
- 2018, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website ME/CFS page Monitoring the Use of All Medicines and Supplements[3] gives guidance for healthcare providers on medications for ME/CFS patients.
Many patients with ME/CFS are sensitive to medications. This is particularly true of any medication that acts on the central nervous system, such as sedating medications: therapeutic benefits can often be achieved at lower-than-standard doses. Patients with ME/CFS might tolerate or need only a fraction of the usual recommended doses for medications. After initial management with lower dosing, one or more gradual increases may be considered as necessary and as tolerated by the patient.[3]
Prevalence
- In a 2001 Belgian study, 48.5% of patients meeting the Fukuda criteria and 54.8% of patients meeting the Holmes criteria, in a cohort of 2073 CFS patients, reported new sensitivities to food or drugs.[1]
See also
Learn more
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 De Becker, Pascale; McGregor, Neil; De Meirleir, Kenny (December 2001). "A definition‐based analysis of symptoms in a large cohort of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome". Journal of Internal Medicine. 250 (3): 234–240. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2796.2001.00890.x.
- ↑ Carruthers, BM; van de Sande, MI; De Meirleir, KL; Klimas, NG; Broderick, G; Mitchell, T; Staines, D; Powles, ACP; Speight, N; Vallings, R; Bateman, L; Baumgarten-Austrheim, B; Bell, DS; Carlo-Stella, N; Chia, J; Darragh, A; Jo, D; Lewis, DP; Light, AR; Marshall-Gradisnik, S; Mena, I; Mikovits, JA; Miwa, K; Murovska, M; Pall, ML; Stevens, SR (August 22, 2011), "Myalgic encephalomyelitis: International Consensus Criteria", Journal of Internal Medicine, 270 (4): 327–338, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2796.2011.02428.x, PMID 21777306
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Monitoring the Use of All Medicines and Supplements | Clinical Care of Patients | Healthcare Providers | Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 10, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.

