Hypersensitivity to β-lactam antibiotics: Algorithms of management and desensitization as a vital therapeutic alternative

Abstract

Hypersensitivity reactions can be complex and life-threatening to patients, especially when drugs such as β-lactam antibiotics are involved. To this day, there are diagnostic algorithms and mobile applications that improve the clinical approach, as well as laboratory tests and more specialized procedures, such as skin tests and controlled exposure tests; which are useful for identifying the drug involved and for selecting safe and effective therapeutic alternatives. For several years, the desensitization procedure has been positioned as a vital tool for clinical allergists and for their patients, and it is key to improving clinical outcomes such as survival and quality of life.