drugs
Severity of Adverse Drug Reactions
Severe adverse drug reactions
Severe reactions include those that may be life threatening (such as liver failure, abnormal heart rhythms, certain types of allergic reactions), those that result in persistent or significant disability or hospitalization, and those that cause birth defects. Severe reactions are relatively rare. People who develop a severe reaction usually must stop using the drug or medication and must be treated. However, doctors must sometimes continue giving high-risk medications (for example, chemotherapy to people with cancer orimmunosuppressantsto people undergoing organ transplantation). Doctors use every possible means to control a severe adverse drug reaction. 