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Learning About Sulfa Drugs’ History

July 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sulfonamide is the term used to refer to any of the drugs belonging to the group of synthetic antibiotics that contain sulfanilamide molecular structure. This serves as the basis for several drug groups. Allergies to it are quite common. Hence, it is best to know learn a little more about sulfa drugs history before actually trying any of them.

The value of sulfa drug revolves around its capacity to effectively deal with infections, both bacterial and fungal by nature. Its effects on the latter though are quite limited since it works on certain fungal infections only. Despite their proven affectivity, there are possibilities of negative results from interaction with other over-the-counter and prescription drugs, so it is always recommended to ask for professional advice before getting it on with this medication.

Basically, this drug functions by killing the fungi and bacteria. More specifically, the drug interferes with their metabolism. It is most functional in the urine before it is excreted, so it is most effective as treatment for urinary tract infections. The drug was considered to be the wonder drugs in time when penicillin was not yet around.

It was actually sulfonamide that brought about the start of the antibiotic revolution in the field of medicine. They were the very first antimicrobial drugs, and everyone has been freely making use of them even without a complete understanding about how they deal with infections.

Sulfa drugs’ history goes quite a long way back. The very first one came out with the trade name Prontosil. This was a prodrug, which means that the drug is inactive or in a less active form when administered. Once taken in, it becomes active once it is broken down inside the body. This is usually through the metabolization process.

A number of experiments took place starting in the year 1932 at the Bayer AG laboratories. Bayer at that time was still a component of IG Farben, a large chemical trust of German origin. The team working on these experiments was powered with the belief that coal-tar dyes have the ability to attach to parasites and bacteria, which can then be used in targeting harmful organisms within the human body.

After working on dyes after dyes for years, the team led by Gerhard Domagk, a physician and researcher, found the answer in a ready dye which was synthesized by chemist Josef Klarer, who was also with Bayer at that time. The said dye was found to have significant effects on putting a stop to the bacterial infections in a group of mice.

Bayer named the drug Protonsil. It was the first medication that was able to treat a range of various bacterial infections in the human body. In fact, it can provide a high level of protection against a range of various infection types caused by streptococci. These include child bed fever, blood infections and erysipelas. Its ability to treat infections caused by other kinds of cocci though is a little low.

Years after that, an accidental discovery was made by a French team led by Ernest Fourneau. It was about how the said drug was actually metabolized into two separate pieces within the human body. The inactive portion released a colorless, smaller compound named sulfanilamide. Different variations of the sulfa drug was introduced into the market several years after that. It was made available for everyone.

A sulfa craze took place as more and more manufacturers started to produce thousands and thousands of different forms of sulfa. In the fall of 1937, the Elixir Sulfanilamide disaster took place due to the absence of any testing requirements. As a result, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was passed in 1938. Since it was the only proven to be effective antibiotic at that time, sulfa was highly popular across age, social classes and other determining factors even until the first few years of the Second World War. Victims of the war benefited greatly from the drug including famous people like Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The soldiers during the war were even given medical kits that contain this drug with instructions to sprinkle them on wounds especially in cases when ample medical attention was not available.

Over the years, a large quantity of medications containing the sulfanilamide structure was created, resulting to better formulas and less toxicity in the long run. Knowing about the sulfa drugs history is a good way to start a research about this medication. This can prove to be useful as well in determining the overall value and effectiveness of the said drug.

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A List Of Sulfa Drugs You Should Know About

June 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sulfa drugs, also known as antibacterial sulphonamides, are synthetic antimicrobial agents that contain sulphonamide substances. There are many examples of sulfa drugs, and it is good to be familiar with what one does before you take it. Some of them are antibiotics, which are used to kill bacteria by attacking them. These can be short-acting, like sulfamethoxazole or sulfisomidine. The former is often used as an alternative to amoxicillin when treating sinusitis.

It will also be used to treat pneumocystis and toxoplasmosis. The latter is also known as sulphasomidine, and is used in similar ways. There are also intermediate-acting antibiotics, such as Sulfacetamide and Sulfadoxine. Sulfacetamide is often used to treat skin conditions such as rosacea, and can be bought in different forms such as cream, foam, washes and shampoo. Sulfadoxine is often used to treat various conditions in livestock, and can be used in conjunction with other things such as pyrimethamine to help prevent or treat malaria. There are also ophthalmologicals which are antibiotics that deal with the eye. In terms of sulfa drugs, these are things such as dichlorphenamide and dorzolamide.

There are also diuretics, which prompt urination. These include things such as acetazolamide which is used to treat things such as glaucoma, benign intracranial hypertension and epileptic seizures. There is also bumetanide, which helps treat heart failure. Chlorthalidone helps patients with hypertension, although it is less effective in those with renal diseases. Furosemide helps those with congestive heart failure and edema, and is also used to help prevent race horses from bleeding through the nose during races.

Hydrochlorothiazide acts as a diuretic which helps reduce the volume of blood, which assists in relieving peripheral vascular resistance. Indapamide helps with both hypertension and decompressed cardiac failure. Mefruside is another diuretic that helps treat edema and hypertension. Metolazone helps treat high blood pressure and congestive heart failure by reducing the amount of water absorbed into the blood stream, which is, of course, where it being a diurectic becomes useful.

Xipamide is, once again, treated for hypertension and oedema. Diuretics work as such a good treatment for hypertension because the triggering of the kidneys to release water from the body means that there is less fluid creating the tension. Sulfa drugs also come in the form of anticonvulsants, which are used to help prevent epileptic seizures.

Acetazolamide is one of these as well as a diuretic. Ethoxzolamide is also a diuretic and can be used to treat ulcers as well as epilepsy. Sultiame differs from other sulphonamide drugs because it does not have any antibacterial activity. Zonisamide is used in adjunctive therapy for seizures of various kinds, including Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, myoclonic seizures and infantile spasms. Mafenide is a dermatological which means that the drug helps treat issues such as skin problems. Mafenide assists in particular with burns, and is generally used in adjunctive therapy for second and third-degree burns.

There are other miscellaneous sulfa drugs, as well, such as Celecoxib. Celecoxib is an anti-inflammatory drug that is used for such things as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and painful menstruation. Darunavir is a protease inhibitor that is used to treat HIV infection. Probenecid is a drug that increases uric acid secretion and it is used to help with hyperuricemia and gout. It can also inhibit the excretion of other drugs which helps prolong their effects. Sulfasalazine is anti-inflammatory movement that helps with inflammatory bowel disease and rhumatoid arthritis.

It can also reverse the scarring associated with cirrhosis of the liver. Sumatriptan is used in the treatment of migraine headaches and is often used alongside naproxen. It is also possible to have an allergic reaction to sulfa, among other side effects. These include urinary tract disorders, especially due to the diuretics, or haemopoietic disorders or hypersensitivity reactions. There are also things such as porphyria, which affects enzymes in the bio-synthetic pathway.

It causes symptoms that are neurological, including depression and anxiety. It also has physical symptoms such as abdominal pain and vomiting. The allergic reactions can be especially possible when the dosage is large, and can manifest in two ways, which are through Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. Stevens Johnson syndrome is a skin condition where cell death means that the epidermis separates from the dermis and it can be life threatening. Signs of it include fever, a sore throat and fatigue so it can often be mistaken for something else and treated accordingly.

Lesions and ulcers will then appear, in the mouth and other areas such as the genital region. Toxic epidermal necrolysis is the detachment of the top layer of skin from the lower layers of skin. Like Stevens Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis can be fatal, and is actually considered a more severe version of the former. This condition affects mucous membranes, in regions such as the mouth, eyes and the genitals, and a symptom includes a couple of weeks of fever. The condition then manifests itself as a rash that covers large parts of the body.

This rash will appear red and can be warm to the touch. The skin will fill with fluid and begin to sag, until it is possible to peel it away from the body. Eyes and mouth can become further affected, with the former becoming swollen and crusted, with a risk of blindness, and the latter being blistered and eroded, which may make eating difficult. Reactions are quite rare among the generally population, although it is worth noting that HIV sufferers will be have a notably higher chance of being affected by an allergic reaction to a sulfa drug.

It is also likely that if you suffer a reaction to one drug, then you will be more likely to suffer from a reaction when using another drug. If you are not taking antibiotic sulphonamides, however, there is a reduced chance of a hypersensitivity reaction. This is thought to be because of two reasons. The first is the N1 heterocyclic ring that is what causes type I hypersensitivity and the second is N4 amino nitrogen that can form reactive metabolites that cause direct immunologic response or cytotoxicity.

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Understanding And Living With A Sulfa Drug Allergy

June 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you have a sulfa drug allergy, you are sensitive to a class of drugs known as sulfonamides. These drugs contain specific compounds that are related to sulfa. It is very important to know what kind of medications that you are taking, when you have any kind of sensitivities. Here is additional information on sulfonamide drugs, to consider.

Professional Assistance

When you are taking medications of any kind, do not leave anything to chance. Medical professionals can sometimes make mistakes, so check and double check everything, before you ingest it. Some people are far more sensitive to medications than others, and these people need to be especially careful.

If you are taking a new antibiotic medication, ask your doctor if you can safely take the prescribed medication. It is also a good idea to ask the pharmacist, when you have the prescription filled. Some people may have a severe reaction to sulfonamides, so make sure that you are taking a medication that will not make you ill.

Drugs That React to Sulfonamides

If you are currently taking a popular blood thinning medication called Coumadin, you might think about avoiding any kind of medication that is considered to be a sulfonamide (if you are allergic). It is not currently known how the interaction occurs. However, it is believed to increase the action of the blood thinning drug.

Many people take a popular diuretic called hydrochlorothiazide or HCTZ. This medication is used for edema and water retention. Also, it may be included in several blood pressure drugs. It is important to talk to a doctor or pharmacist, if you take this medication, and are allergic to sulfa drugs. Another diuretic that also may be included is called furosemide. These drugs are considered to be sulfa based.

If you are allergic to sulfa drugs, it may be best to avoid common arthritis drugs called Cox-2 inhibitors. These kinds of drugs are considered to be non-antibiotic sulfonamide drugs. However, there have not been any documented cases of people with a sulfa drug allergy having problems, yet it still may be best to avoid them, as they are sulfonamides.

Sulfonylureas are drugs commonly used to treat diabetes. These drugs are chemically similar to sulfonamide drugs, and may cause problems in people that are allergic to them. However, these drugs are usually OK to take, but it is a good idea to discuss the matter with a pharmacist or doctor.

Another medication that may be safe to take is Sumatriptan. This medication is a common treatment for migraines. However, it is chemically similar to sulfonamides, so it is best to discuss the matter with a medical professional, before taking.

When you are allergic to sulfonamides, it is best to avoid Sulfasalasine. This is a sulfonamide medication and it is used to treat arthritis and inflammatory bowel disorders. This medication is similar to aspirin.

When you are being treated for seizures, the medication Zonisamide is sometimes prescribed. However, if you are allergic to sulfa, this is not a drug to take. Zonisamide is considered to be a sulfonamide.

Common Sulfa Allergy Symptoms

Skin rashes and irritations are the most commonly seen reaction to sulfonamides. It may be a simple rash in a few areas of the body. However, some symptoms can be more severe, and hives can develop. You should discontinue taking medications, when skin problems develop, as they can worsen if you continue taking the medicine. Make sure to contact your doctor, so an alternative medication can be prescribed for you. Your doctor may also prescribe something for the rash or irritation, too.

You should learn to recognize sensitivity to sulfonamides. In some cases, the reaction can be severe and can affect breathing. It also may cause a fever, in some people. If breathing is affected, do not hesitate to seek emergency medical attention, as soon as possible. In some cases, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis can be a life threatening situation.

People with HIV or suppressed immune systems, may be more prone to develop sensitivity to sulfonamides. Make sure that you discuss these matters with a medical professional. This is especially important, if you have an autoimmune disorder like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

If you feel ill after taking sulfonamides, you should contact your doctor. These conditions can sometimes be serious, and you may need sulfa drug allergy treatment. In some cases, these drugs can affect liver and kidney function. Also, a condition similar to pneumonia may develop with some allergies.

Sulfa Drug Allergy Treatment

If you believe that you are having a serious reaction, you should go to your local emergency room for care. Once there, you will be examined and proper treatment can be delivered. At the hospital, they have several medications that will counteract an allergic reaction.

Many times, simply stopping the medication will be sufficient treatment. However, if skin irritations persist, you may need antihistamines or a topical cream for itching and hives. In some cases, people with lung concerns like asthma or chronic bronchitis, may need additional medications for their conditions. This is why you should report any kind of reactions to your doctor.

Things to Remember

A sulfa drug allergy means sensitivity to sulfonamide drugs. You may start taking a new medication and feel ill after a few hours. Perhaps it is only a minor rash or itching. However, you may feel sick and begin running a fever. You also may be coughing and having difficulty in breathing. If this occurs, you should get immediate emergency medical care, as it could be a life threatening condition. At the hospital, they can give you something to counteract the reaction.

It is also important to talk to your doctor if you are allergic to sulfa drugs. You may need prescription medications, and your doctor can prescribe an alternative medicine for you. This will eliminate any problems with interactions, in the future. Some medications like certain diuretics and antibiotics are best to avoid, if you are sensitive to sulfonamides. Any time you have doubts about your medication, call your pharmacist for advice about your sulfa drug allergy.

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Allergic Reactions to Flonase – Side Effects of the Drug

May 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A lot of people experience seasonal colds, cough and flu’s. So in treating nasal symptoms such as runny nose, congestion, continuous sneezing that are caused by seasonal as well as year round allergies, people have resorted to using different medications to relieve themselves of these symptoms of seasonal allergies. Flonase is one of the drugs that people use to treat their nasal symptoms. But is it safe to use this drug? Is it possible to get allergic reactions to Flonase use? This is a question that a lot of people who experience seasonal and year round allergies ask.

Overview of Flonase

Flonase is a type of nasal spray that contains the component corticosteroid fluticasone. This type of nasal congestion spray prevents substances to be released in the body that can cause inflammation, and therefore lead to allergies, and other nasal issues. Flonase is then used as a medical treatment for symptoms that can be caused by seasonal and yearly allergies such as repeated sneezing that can especially be present during the morning, nasal congestion and runny nose. Allergic reactions to Flonase use can still be possible, so the use of this nasal spray should be with the consent of your doctor.

Facts about Flonase that You Should Know

If you go to your doctor and your healthcare advisor prescribes you with Flonase, it is important to tell him about other medications that you have been using. These medications include Ketoconazole, such as Nizoral, or medicines for HIV like Norvir or Kaletra. Immediately go to your doctor if during the period that you have used Flonase, you are experience ongoing or severe nose bleeds, nose sores that do not heal, chills, fevers, body aches, or other symptoms of flu as well as vision problems.

Flonase use can actually decrease the amount of blood cells that the body produces in order to fight off infections. Knowing this fact will allow you to prevent allergic reactions to Flonase use. So in the duration of time that you are using Flonase, it is better to avoid getting in close quarters with people who have infections and are currently sick. If you have been exposed to people who have measles or chicken pox, call your doctor immediately to have him provide you with preventative medications since these medical conditions have  serious to a fatal effect on people who are taking in Flonase.

Nasal Side Effects, Allergic Reactions

Some side effects of taking Flonase can be attributed to symptoms such as nasal irritation and dryness, vomiting, coughing, nausea, and wheezing. Allergic reactions to Flonase have been reported to also include continued runny nose and weeping eyes. Some of these nasal allergies to the drug can lead to a more serious problem, so if any of these side effects continue or even worsen, then notifying your pharmacist or doctor is the best thing to do, so as to have a preventative measure against its side effects on your body.

Precautions in Using Flonase

Allergic reactions to Flonase are possible, especially if one takes its side effects lightly. Before using Flonase, inform your doctor if you have allergies to any medications, or if you experience any allergies at all. Flonase may contain some ingredients that are inactive, that can be a cause for you to experience allergic reactions that may lead to other serious medical problems. Talking to your pharmacist or to your doctor for details will help avoid any problems with your health.

Certain medical conditions do not go hand in hand with Flonase, and people who have a medical history of these conditions should inform their physicians about these conditions especially tuberculosis, active and untreated infections, eye diseases, herpes, and eye infections. Flonase nasal congestion sprays may be helpful to some people, but to know what this drug can do to the body, will allow you to avoid allergic reactions to Flonase as well as to any more complications.

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Diovan and Sulfa Allergies

March 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

People who are prone to allergic reactions such as drug allergies and food allergies should know as much as they can about allergies. Allergic reactions might be mild but in some cases, it can be life threatening. Hence, it is important to be aware of the different allergy causes, signs and symptoms, treatment and prevention. People can develop allergic reactions to all kinds of drugs. Diovan and sulfa allergies are among the common drug allergies.

What is sulfa allergy?

Sulfa allergy is a general term used to refer to the adverse drug reaction to drugs specifically antibiotics which contain sulfonamides. Drugs with sulfonamide usually have brand and generic names which start with ‘sulfa’ or ‘sul’. Some of the drugs which have sulfonamides are erythromycin-sulfisoxazole, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra). Aside from these three, people who have diovan and sulfa allergies should also avoid sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) and dapsone. Diuretics such as furosemide (lasix) and hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), blood pressure medication such as Valsartan (diovan) and drugs for diabetes such as glimepiride (Amaryl) are also related to sulfonamides. These drugs can also cause allergic reactions because of their relation to sulfonamides although in some cases, some people do not necessarily develop any allergic reactions to them. To be safe, consult your doctor before taking any these drugs.

Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of diovan and sulfa allergies are the same as that of other allergies. These include the development of rashes, hives, difficulty in breathing and swelling in the face, throat, tongue and lips. These reactions are mild and they can be treated with anti-allergy drugs. However, to be safe seek medical help immediately when you experience any of the signs and symptoms mentioned.

There are also reactions caused by diovan and sulfa drugs allergies which can be life threatening. In the case of sulfa allergy, severe allergic reaction can lead to a syndrome called Stevens-Johnson syndrome which affects the skin. When a person has this syndrome, the epidermis and the dermis are separated because of cell death. Other serious reactions to sulfa drugs are liver and kidney damage and exacerbation of asthma.

Individuals who are allergic to Diovan should also be aware that a severe allergic reaction to Diovan can lead to kidney failure due to the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. Signs and symptoms of this condition include nausea, vomiting, fever, dark colored urine and muscle pain and tenderness.

Treatment

Once allergic reactions occur, the allergy sufferer should stop taking any of the sulfa drugs. Treatment then will focus on addressing the signs and symptoms which are manifested by the sufferer. Immunotherapy allergy shots are also given to those who are suffering from allergy. Other treatment options include desensitization to the drug especially if there is no choice but to use sulfa drugs or diovan. Desensitization is a process by which small amount of the allergen, in this case the drug, is introduced to the body. Through this method, the body will be exposed to the drug and will not develop any allergic reactions in the future. It is very important to get immediate treatment once you experience any of the signs and symptoms.

Prevention

Just like other conditions, preventing the occurrence of diovan and sulfa drugs allergies is much better than treating it. To prevent allergic reactions, it is very important to inform your doctor about any history with drug allergy. Individuals should remember that drug allergy can develop any time. Even if you have been taking sulfa drugs for a long time and you did not have any allergic reactions to it, you can develop allergy to the drug anytime. In addition, it is also important to read the label and the ingredients of the drug. Always consult your doctor before taking any new drugs.

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Sulfa Drug Allergies Fever Treatment

January 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Drug allergies are one of the most dangerous kinds of allergy especially for medications which are directly introduced to the blood stream because they can cause severe allergic reactions which can result to death. Drugs which contain sulfonamide are some of the drugs with a high incidence of allergic reactions. According to statistics, the incidence rate of sulfa drug allergy is 3% which is the same as that of penicillin. It is therefore important for doctors, nurses and the patients themselves to take note of the signs and symptoms of sulfa drug allergies. One the health problems to watch out for is sulfa drug allergies with fever.

Sulfa drugs are mostly antibacterial drugs that contain sulfonamide. Examples of these are short-acting sulfa drugs such as sulfamethoxazole and sulfadiazine. Long-acting sulfa drugs include sulfadoxine and sulfacetamide. Aside from its antimicrobial functions, sulfa drugs can also function as diuretics. The sulfa moiety is present in thiazide diuretics such as metolazone and indapamide. In addition, some drugs which contain sulfonamide are also used as anticonvulsants, dermatologicals and opthalmologicals.

Examples of drugs anticonvulsants are Sultiame and Zoniamide while the drug Mafenide is an example of dermatologicals. It is necessary for doctors and nurses to be familiar with drugs which contain sulfonamides because allergic reactions to sulfa drugs can lead to death. There are other signs and symptoms of sulfa drugs allergy. Mild reactions include the development of allergic skin rash and hives, increased sensitivity to sunlight and urinary tract disorders. Severe allergic reactions symptoms to sulfa drugs include toxic epidermal necrolysis, fulminant hepatic necrosis, kidney failure, hemolytic anemia, liver injury, asthma, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and thrombocytopenia.

Since fever is one of the most common signs of many diseases, it is very important to identify whether the fever a patient is experiencing is related to sulfa drug allergies fever. If you have a history of sulfa drugs allergy and you started to have fever after taking a drug, it will be better to go to the doctor and have yourself checked. You might be having sulfa drug allergies fever because you unknowingly took a medication with sulfa additives. Those who have experienced this fever because of sulfa drugs reported that they had the fever for seven days. Others reported that their temperature shoot up to as high as 1040 two hours after taking sulfa drugs.

Many people who are allergic to sulfa drugs often manifest different signs and symptoms after taking sulfa drugs depending on how sensitive they are to the drug and the amount of sulfa drugs they have taken. Regardless of the situation, whether or not you experience mild or severe allergic reactions to sulfa drugs, it would be better to be aware of the common signs and symptoms that you usually experience whenever you are having an allergy attack. This is important because as mentioned above, sulfa drugs allergy can lead to death and other chronic diseases. Knowing how to differentiate sulfa drug allergies with fever from common fever is a part of the preventive measures one should take when they have sulfa drug allergy.

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