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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Side Effects and Interactions

Allergic reaction

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

nounCore term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, allergic reaction means: A response of the immune system to a medicine or other substance that it wrongly treats as harmful, causing signs such as a rash, itching, swelling or difficulty breathing.

In Turkish: alerjik reaksiyon, alerji

How it is used

Pharmacists always ask 'Do you have any allergies?' and record drug allergies, especially to penicillin. A reaction can be mild or severe; the most severe form is anaphylaxis. Patients often call any side effect an allergy, so pharmacists ask what exactly happened.

Example sentences

  1. She had an allergic reaction to amoxicillin as a child, so we'll avoid penicillins.

  2. Was it a true allergic reaction, or did the tablets just upset your stomach?

Common collocations

  • have an allergic reaction
  • severe allergic reaction
  • drug allergy
  • record an allergy
  • anaphylaxisA sudden, severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can affect breathing, blood pressure and the skin within minutes.
  • side effectAn effect of a medicine that is not the main reason for taking it; most side effects are unwanted, such as nausea, drowsiness or a headache.
  • adverse drug reactionA harmful and unintended response to a medicine used at normal doses, ranging from a mild rash to serious damage to the liver, kidneys or blood.
  • contraindicationA condition or situation in which a particular medicine should not be used because the risk of harm is too high, such as pregnancy, an allergy or a certain disease.

More terms: Side Effects and Interactions

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.