Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Patients' knowledge about their drug allergies

J P Wyatt1

  • 1Department of Accident and Emergency, Western Infirmary, Glasgow.

Journal of Accident & Emergency Medicine
|March 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Many patients lack accurate drug allergy information, potentially risking severe reactions during emergency care. Patients should carry documented proof of their allergies to improve safety.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Ectopic pinealomas in the chiasmal region; report of three cases.

Journal of neurosurgery·2010
Same author

Road traffic suicides.

Journal of forensic and legal medicine·2009
Same author

Phytobezoar: an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction.

Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England·2009
Same author

Circular saw suicide.

Journal of forensic and legal medicine·2007
Same author

Children presenting to hospital with acute alcohol intoxication.

Emergency medicine journal : EMJ·2006
Same author

Suicidal high falls.

Journal of clinical forensic medicine·2005

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Medicine
  • Patient Safety
  • Pharmacovigilance

Background:

  • Accurate patient-reported drug allergies are crucial for safe medication prescribing.
  • Lack of reliable allergy information poses a risk in emergency settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the accuracy and nature of drug allergy information held by patients.
  • To evaluate the reliability of patient claims regarding drug allergies.

Main Methods:

  • Surveyed 2500 new adult patients in a tertiary referral center's accident and emergency department.
  • Patients were questioned about drug allergies, with general practitioners contacted for verification.

Main Results:

  • 9.7% of patients claimed drug allergies, but only 114 out of 240 claims were confirmed by general practitioners.
  • Many patients could not recall specific allergens or the drugs involved in reactions.
  • Few patients (only 7) carried documented evidence of their allergies.

Conclusions:

  • A significant number of patients with perceived drug allergies are poorly informed.
  • Emergency prescribing for these patients carries a risk of anaphylaxis due to inaccurate allergy data.
  • Encouraging patients to carry allergy evidence and exploring solutions like "Smart cards" can mitigate risks.

Related Experiment Videos