Diagnostic testing for drug hypersensitivity

Adverse drug reactions are important and frequent complications of medication therapy. Allergic drug reactions (involving immunologic mechanisms) account for approximately 5% to 10% of adverse reactions to help guide the selection and use of future medications and to properly manage the present reaction. Often the question of whether it is safe to readminister a medication in the future is an important clinical judgement that needs to be made. Along with certain in vivo and in vitro diagnostic tests, meticulous history taking by a motivated physician is often required to properly diagnose adverse drug reactions.