In order to understand medication side effects, it is necessary to first understand how medications are absorbed into the body and how they interact with the body’s internal environment. There are many external factors that influence how we absorb or use medications. These include lifestyle choices, food and drink and where you live and work. Age is sometimes a critical factor in determining how fast your body might metabolize or absorb a certain medication. Lastly, your genetic makeup, you DNA, can have a tremendous impact on how and why you respond to a certain medication and why you may develop side effects or allergic reactions. It has been estimated that during a typical year in the United States, over 2 million people will be seen in hospitals in response to adverse reactions from medications. Of these, over 100,000 will die, making this the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Medications that might be safe for an adult, may kill a child. Unexpected responses to medications are common and need to observe for both by the patient as well as by the physician.
Causes of Medication Side Effects
When medications enter your body, they must first be absorbed. This may occur in the mouth, the stomach or throughout the intestinal tract. Concurrent diseases within any of these structures may affect the absorption of medications. This may lead to either too little or too much of the medication being absorbed. Some medications are distributed in various body tissues. When a man of 250 pounds and a woman of 120 pounds take the same dose of medication, it may have startling different results, due to the different concentrations of the medications. Lifestyle choices, such as excessive alcohol consumption, can result in enhancement of some liver enzymes. These proteins may reduce or destroy medications at rates that are not expected for the average person. Last, many medications interact with proteins in the body. These proteins may cause the medication to work or may result in it not working. Genetic variation, results in different populations and different amounts of certain proteins. This, too, can lead to unexpected medication side effects.
Signs and Symptoms of Medication Side Effects
The types of symptoms that develop from medications runs the gamut from drowsiness to death, and everything in between. Rapid adverse reactions may come in the form of an allergic response. Under these circumstances, exposure to a particular compound or medication can lead to a rash or itching or may unleash a rapid and deadly anaphylactic reaction. Other side effects may be non-specific. They may cause headache, nausea or vomiting. Other effects may be specific and related to excessive doses of medications. This can reflect abnormal levels of medications or may reflect systemic abnormalities, such as alteration of the potassium in the body, that may then influence the function of a particular drug. In any event, when you feel that you are experiencing unexpected or adverse side effects, it is necessary to contact your medical provider promptly.
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Medical Content Last Updated on 07/12/2008
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