How to Take a Good Clinical History in Cases of Allergic Reactions to Medications

Abstract

The clinical history is the cornerstone of the doctor's work. When assessing patients consulting for a suspected hypersensitivity reaction to a drug, the details collected in the patient's clinical history are essential when deciding which tests to perform and for making recommendations about which drugs the patient should avoid and which can be taken. This area is especially important today, since many patients are labeled as allergic to drugs, especially penicillins, without this being the case. This article reviews the importance of the clinical history in a patient with a hypersensitivity reaction to a drug and considers which data should be collected. Likewise, a record-based model is proposed to help standardize the clinical history.