FROM MILD TO LIFE-THREATENING: CLINICAL MANAGEMENT OF ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS

Abstract

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) span a spectrum from mild, self-limiting events to severe, life-threatening conditions requiring intensive care. They remain a major cause of morbidity, hospital admissions, and healthcare costs globally. ADRs are classified based on predictability, severity, and timing, with Type A reactions being predictable and dose-dependent, and Type B reactions being unpredictable and often immune-mediated. Comprehensive clinical management requires early recognition, causality assessment, withdrawal or dose adjustment of the offending drug, supportive therapy, and reporting to pharmacovigilance systems. Risk factors include patient-related variables such as age, comorbidities, and genetic predisposition, drug-related factors including polypharmacy and narrow therapeutic index drugs, and system-related issues like medication errors. Emerging strategies, such as pharmacogenetic screening and digital monitoring systems, aim to improve prediction and prevention of ADRs. This review provides an in-depth overview of clinical management strategies across the spectrum of ADR severity, highlighting both preventive and therapeutic interventions.