Frequency of cutaneous drug reactions in the outpatient dermatology clinic at the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chávez over a ten-year period

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions, or pharmacodermias, are the most common form of adverse drug reactions (ADR).It was our interest to know their epidemiological behavior in a tertiary hospital level in Mexico.We stablished the frequency of ADR in 61 infants and adults hospitalized patients and those seen in the outpatient Dermatology Clinic at the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chvez in Mexico City (INCICh) over a period of 10 years.The most frequently diagnosed pharmacodermias were acneiform dermatitis, cutaneous hyperpigmentation and maculopapular exanthema mainly associated to prednisone, hydroxychloroquine, cephalothin, amiodarone and vitamin B-complex, although we registered less frequently more severe and hazardous reactions.These results were consistent with other reports in our country.Multiple drugs administered at a time was an important causative factor for the ADR.It is necessary for every practitioner to develop skills that permit the identification of these dermatoses in order to correctly manage each case and diminish the morbimortality associated.