Drug-induced pruritus explained
Drug-induced pruritus is itchiness of the skin caused by medication, a pruritic reaction that is generalized.[1]
Signs and symptoms
Depending on the causing agent, symptoms may start out acutely, go away when the drug is stopped, or develop into a chronic pruritus that lasts longer than six weeks.[2]
Causes
A common anti-malarial medication called chloroquine may cause pruritus for unknown reasons. Other antimalarials like amodiaquine, halofantrine, and hydroxychloroquine have also been linked to pruritus, albeit less frequently and to a lesser extent.[2]
Another class of medications known to occasionally cause itching is known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors.[3]
Itching is one of the most frequent adverse effects of opioid therapy.[4]
A common artificial colloid used in clinical fluid management is hydroxyethyl starch (HES). Well-defined side effects, such as coagulopathy, clinical bleeding, anaphylactoid reactions, and pruritus, can make using HES more difficult.[5]
Epidemiology
Thirty-three percent of the 3,671 cases of cutaneous adverse drug reactions included itching as a common complaint.[6]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Book: James WD, Berger T, Elston D . Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology . 2006 . Saunders Elsevier . Philadelphia . 978-0-7216-2921-6 . 10th.
- Reich . A . Ständer . S . Szepietowski . JC . Drug-induced Pruritus: A Review . Acta Dermato Venereologica . Medical Journals Sweden AB . 89 . 3 . 2009 . 0001-5555 . 10.2340/00015555-0650 . 236–244. 19479118 . free .
- Cederberg . Jonas . Knight . Stefan . Svenson . Svante . Melhus . Håkan . Itch and skin rash from chocolate during fluoxetine and sertraline treatment: Case report . BMC Psychiatry . 4 . 1 . 2004 . 1471-244X . 15522120 . 533866 . 10.1186/1471-244X-4-36 . free .
- Katcher . Jerald . Walsh . Declan . Opioid-Induced Itching . Journal of Pain and Symptom Management . Elsevier BV . 17 . 1 . 1999 . 0885-3924 . 10.1016/s0885-3924(98)00115-8 . 70–72. 9919868 . free .
- Bork . K. . Pruritus precipitated by hydroxyethyl starch: a review . British Journal of Dermatology . Oxford University Press (OUP) . 152 . 1 . 2005 . 0007-0963 . 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06272.x . 3–12. 15656795 . 13483776 .
- Patel . TejasK . Thakkar . SejalH . Sharma . DC . Cutaneous adverse drug reactions in Indian population: A systematic review . Indian Dermatology Online Journal . Medknow . 5 . 6 . 2014 . S76-86 . 2229-5178 . 10.4103/2229-5178.146165 . free . 25593813 . 4290186 .
