DrugInduced Disease
Drug-induced diseases are also called iatrogenic diseases or physician-induced diseases.
These are functional diseases caused by drugs that persist even after the offending drug has been withdrawn and largely eliminated.
“Signs of drug-induced organ damage (e.g., liver, kidneys)”
DrugInduced Disease Examples,
- Peptic ulcer by salicylates and corticosteroids.
- Parkinsonism by phenothiazines and other antipsychotics.
- Hepatitis by isoniazid.
- Discoid lupus erythematosus by hydralazine.
Read And Learn More: Pharmacology Question And Answers
“Understanding the role of medications in causing adverse effects”
Question 2. Define And Differentiate Side Effcts From Adverse Drug Effects. Describe The Adverse Reaction Of The Drug In Detail Giving Suitable Examples.
Answer:
Differentiate Side Effcts From Adverse Drug Effects
The term adverse drug reaction has been defined as any noxious effect which is suspected to be due to a drug occurring at doses normally used.
Require treatment or decrease in dose or indicates caution in the future use of the same drug.
“Importance of studying drug-induced diseases for healthcare professionals”

The Adverse Effect Of Drugs Has Been Classified As:
1. Predictable Reaction
These are related to the pharmacological effect of a drug. They include:
- Side Effects: These are unwanted but often unavoidable pharmacodynamic effect that occurs at therapeutic doses.
- A side effect may be based on the same action of the drug, for example, dryness of the mouth with atropine.
- A side effect may be based on a different facet of action, for example, estrogen causes nausea.
- Aneffctmay be therapeutic in one contact but side effects in another contact, for example, codeine used for cough, produces constipation as a side effect.
- Secondary Effect: These are indirect consequences of a primary action of a drug, for example, suppressing bacterial flora by tetracyclines can result in superinfection.
- Toxic Effects: These effects are resulted due to overdosage or prolonged use of drugs, for example, coma by barbiturates, and complete AV block by digoxin.
- Drug Habituation And Dependence: Drugs capable of altering moods and feelings are liable to repetitive use to derive a feeling of euphoria to escape from reality, social adjustment, etc.
“Treatment options for drug-induced diseases”
- Drug Withdrawal Reaction: Sudden withdrawal or stoppage of certain drugs can result in a type of adverse reaction.
For example, withdrawal of beta blockers can precipitate an effect of myocardial infarction.
Withdrawal of phenytoin can precipitate status epilepticus. - Teratogenic Effect: This refers to the ability of the drug to cause congenital abnormality in the fetus when given during pregnancy, Example. cleft palate following the use of corticosteroids.
- Drug-Induced Disease Or Iatrogenic Diseases: When certain drugs are used chronologically, they can produce disease, for Example. chronic use of aspirin can lead to the production of peptic ulcers.
“Common challenges in diagnosing drug-induced diseases”
2. Unpredictable Reactions
These are based on the peculiarities of the patient and not on the drug action.
- Drug allergy: It is an immunologically mediated reaction producing stereotype symptoms that are unrelated to the effect of the drug or its doses.
For Example. anaphylactic reactions resulting in urticaria§§, etching, angioedema, and asthma. - Photosensitivity: It is a cutaneous reaction, resulting from drug-induced sensitization of the skin to UV radiation. Drugs that cause such reactions are demeclocycline and chloroquine.
- Idiosyncrasy: It is generally determined as abnormal reactivity to a chemical. Certain
adverse effects of some drugs are restricted to individuals with a particular genotype.
For Example. barbiturates cause excitement and mental confusion in some people.
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