Stress vulnerability in patients with drug allergy--psychological aspects revealed from some personal studies.

Previous studies revealed the fact that patients with allergic-type reactions to drugs display very frequently psychical disturbances, possibly in relation to the large amount of stress perceived by them. Some of these patients with psychiatric comorbidity show a disproportionate reaction, manifested as extensive psychosomatic disturbances, mimicking the psychic and somatic symptoms of a previous anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reaction, when a new drug or even when placebo preparations are given. The neurotic symptoms, very frequently encountered in patients with allergic-type reactions to drugs (including asthma patients) appear to be secondarily-induced by the anxious experience of the drug-provoked accident. The vulnerability to psychic stress, together with many life stressors events may represent a potential risk for developing drug allergy. Their main problem is the risk of repeating the allergic accidents, especially in patients with various comorbidity which need medication.