Summary
An adverse drug reaction (ADR) is a harmful, unintended result caused by taking medication. ADRs may occur following a single dose or prolonged administration of a drug or may result from the combination of two or more drugs. The meaning of this term differs from the term "side effect" because side effects can be beneficial as well as detrimental. The study of ADRs is the concern of the field known as pharmacovigilance. An adverse event (AE) refers to any unexpected and inappropriate occurrence at the time a drug is used, whether or not the event is associated with the administration of the drug. An ADR is a special type of AE in which a causative relationship can be shown. ADRs are only one type of medication-related harm. Another type of medication-related harm type includes not taking prescribed medications, which is also known as non-adherence. Non-adherence to medications can lead to death and other negative outcomes. Adverse drug reactions require the use of a medication. Adverse drug reactions may be classified in a few different ways. Type A: Augmented pharmacologic effects - dose dependent and predictable Type A reactions, which constitute approximately 80% of adverse drug reactions, are usually a consequence of the drug's primary pharmacological effect (e.g. bleeding when using the anticoagulant warfarin) or a low therapeutic index of the drug (e.g. nausea from digoxin), and they are therefore predictable. They are dose-related and usually mild, although they may be serious or even fatal (e.g. intracranial bleeding from warfarin). Such reactions are usually due to inappropriate dosage, especially when drug elimination is impaired. The term 'side effects' is often applied to minor type A reactions. Type B: Idiosyncratic Type B reactions are not dose dependent and are not predictable. These reactions can be due to particular elements within the patient or the environment. Types A and B were proposed in the 1970s, and the other types were proposed subsequently when the first two proved insufficient to classify ADRs.
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
Related courses (4)
BIO-698: The making of an innovative medicine
To expose participants to translational biomedical research (from bench to bedside and back) and drug discovery.
BIO-494: Scientific project design in drug discovery
The goal of this course is to instruct the student how fundamental scientific knowledge can be applied for drug discovery and development. We will demonstrate these principles with examples, including
BIO-478: Pharmacology and pharmacokinetics
This course introduces the student to the fudamentals of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and drug-receptor interactions. It discusses also pharmacogenetics and chronopharmacology, to exemplify the chal
Show more
Related lectures (32)
Selective Drug Targeting Mechanisms
Explores selective drug targeting mechanisms, resistance development, tuberculosis incidence, BCR-ABL mutations, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, drug toxicity, interactions, and toxicology studies.
Pharmacodynamics: Ligand-Receptor Interactions and Drug Effects
Explores ligand-receptor interactions, drug effects, modulation mechanisms, and factors influencing drug responses.
Design Optimization in ChemBio
Explores the design optimization of sensors and bioluminescent proteins for drug monitoring and metabolite visualization.
Show more
Related publications (168)

The Least Increasing Aversion (LIA) Protocol: Illustration on Identifying Individual Susceptibility to Cybersickness Triggers

Ronan Boulic, Nana Tian

This paper introduces the Least Increase aversion (LIA) protocol to investigate the relative impact of factors that may trigger cybersickness. The protocol is inspired by the Subjective Matching methodology (SMT) from which it borrows the incremental const ...
2024

Non-invasive spinal cord electrical stimulation for arm and hand function in chronic tetraplegia: a safety and efficacy trial

Grégoire Courtine, Jordan Squair, Markus Maximilian Rieger

Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to permanent impairment of arm and hand functions. Here we conducted a prospective, single-arm, multicenter, open-label, non-significant risk trial that evaluated the safety and efficacy of ARCEX Therapy to improve a ...
Nature Portfolio2024
Show more
Related concepts (20)
Pharmacovigilance
Pharmacovigilance (PV, or PhV), also known as drug safety, is the pharmaceutical science relating to the "collection, detection, assessment, monitoring, and prevention" of adverse effects with pharmaceutical products. The etymological roots for the word "pharmacovigilance" are: (Greek for drug) and vigilare (Latin for to keep watch).
Adverse effect
An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or other intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a "side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main or therapeutic effect. The term complication is similar to adverse effect, but the latter is typically used in pharmacological contexts, or when the negative effect is expected or common. If the negative effect results from an unsuitable or incorrect dosage or procedure, this is called a medical error and not an adverse effect.
Synergy
Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. The term synergy comes from the Attic Greek word συνεργία synergia from synergos, συνεργός, meaning "working together". In Christian theology, synergism is the idea that salvation involves some form of cooperation between divine grace and human freedom. The words synergy and synergetic have been used in the field of physiology since at least the middle of the 19th century: SYN'ERGY, Synergi'a, Synenergi'a, (F.
Show more