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In medicine, desensitization is a method to reduce or eliminate an organism's negative reaction to a substance or stimulus. In pharmacology , drug desensitization refers to two related concepts. First, desensitization may be equivalent to drug tolerance and refers to subjects' reactions (positive or negative) to a drug reducing following its ...
Allergen immunotherapy, also known as desensitization or hypo-sensitization, is a medical treatment for environmental allergies (such as insect bites) and asthma. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Immunotherapy involves exposing people to larger and larger amounts of allergens in an attempt to change the immune system's response.
Enzyme potentiated desensitization (EPD), is a treatment for allergies developed in the 1960s by Dr. Leonard M. McEwen in the United Kingdom.EPD uses much lower doses of antigens than conventional desensitization treatment paired with the enzyme β-glucuronidase.
One may also develop drug tolerance to side effects, [7] in which case tolerance is a desirable characteristic. A medical intervention that has an objective to increase tolerance (e.g., allergen immunotherapy, in which one is exposed to larger and larger amounts of allergen to decrease one's allergic reactions) is called drug desensitization. [8]
Imlifidase, brand name Idefirix, is a medication for the desensitization of highly sensitized adults needing kidney transplantation, but unlikely to receive a compatible transplant. [3] Imlifidase is a cysteine protease derived from the immunoglobulin G (IgG)‑degrading enzyme of Streptococcus pyogenes. [3]
As there is no cure, treatment of AERD revolves around managing the symptoms of the disease. Corticosteroids, surgery, diet modifications and monoclonal antibody-based drugs are all commonly used, among other treatment options. Paradoxically, daily aspirin therapy after an initial desensitization can also help manage symptoms.
Systematic desensitization, (relaxation training paired with graded exposure therapy), is a behavior therapy developed by the psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe. It is used when a phobia or anxiety disorder is maintained by classical conditioning. It shares the same elements of both cognitive-behavioral therapy and applied behavior analysis.
Medication can be used along with psychological therapy to help the individual on a short-term basis, with psychotherapeutic treatment being the main form of mental health recovery. [ 14 ] The use of medication must be prescribed and monitored carefully by a medical professional to prevent dependence and overuse of psychotropic drugs .