Usefulness of the drug allergy passport in the drug allergy management

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, the number of people with drug hypersensitivity has been increasing and it has become a major problem for the healthcare system. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of which medications they can safely use. Aim: To assess the suitability of a drug allergy passport in patients with drug hypersensitivity in order to increase knowledge about medicines that can be safely used. Material and methods: The study was conducted in 54 hospitalized patients with confirmed hypersensitivity to drugs by issuing a drug passport at discharge. The study was carried out with the questionnaire method. The questionnaire was conducted by phone 3, 6 and 12 months after the patients received the drug passport. Results: Fifty-eight people were contacted by phone. The survey was conducted in 54 people (42 women (77%), mean age: 48, range: 19–71), which gives a response rate of 98%. The application of the drug allergy passport by patients increased with time and the number of patients who did not use their passport decreased. With time, patients showed the drug allergy passport to a larger number of doctors, most often to general practitioners and dentists. In the following months, the number of doctors who followed passport recommendations and patients who adhered to the passport recommendations increased. Conclusions: The analysis of drug allergy passport shows that patients are better informed about medicines they can use and have a greater sense of security. By showing the passport to specialists, they choose the safest and adequate treatment.