 |
Adverse
Drug Effects- 2
Harmful effects that are unrelated to the principal action of the
drug are rare. 5,6
Unusual and unpredictable responses to medications, such as anaphylaxis,
are referred to as idiosyncratic reactions. However, there are situations
when these effects are likely to occur, such as excessive dosing of a medication.
For example, using high doses of aspirin can cause tinnitus, an unwanted
effect. In this situation, the effect is predictable, because the dose taken
has exceeded that which is considered safe. Teratogenic effects are also
examples of these predictable, unwanted effects.
Dental hygienists must understand the differences between drug toxicity,
drug allergies and drug side effects Drug toxicity is toxin-induced cellular
damage and cell death. Usually, the reactive metabolites formed during metabolic
breakdown of the drug in either the liver or the kidney are responsible
for causing cell damage, as opposed to the actual drug itself: These reactive
metabolites cause permanent changes in cell structure and function, resulting
in altered cellular metabolism, cellular mutation and cell death. 5,6
|
