RRB Staff Nurse Kolk…: Most common side effect of Penicillin is?

RRB Staff Nurse Kolkata-2015

Pharmacology

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Staff Nurse Kolkata-2015

Explanation

The most common side effects of penicillin are hypersensitivity reactions, which classically present as skin manifestations.
These reactions include urticaria (hives), pruritus (itching), and maculopapular rashes.
While GI upset is also frequent, allergic reactions are a more defining and clinically significant adverse effect associated with penicillins, making it the best answer in an exam context.
These allergic reactions occur in 0.7% to 4% of treatment courses.

Option B: Fever can be a symptom of a drug reaction (drug fever) or the underlying infection itself, but it is not the most common isolated side effect of penicillin.
Option C: Renal calculi (kidney stones) are not a known or common side effect associated with penicillin use.
Option D: Although gastrointestinal disturbances (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) are very common with oral antibiotics, hypersensitivity reactions like rashes are more characteristic of penicillin and a primary safety concern.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Common adverse effects of Penicillin as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A thorough allergy history is a critical nursing responsibility before administering any medication, especially penicillins. Ask the patient to describe the specific reaction they had, not just if they are 'allergic'.
Be aware of cross-sensitivity. A small percentage of patients with a true penicillin allergy may also react to cephalosporins and other beta-lactam antibiotics.
What if? If a patient with a known, non-anaphylactic rash to penicillin desperately needs a beta-lactam antibiotic for a life-threatening infection, a physician might consider a cephalosporin with a dissimilar side chain or perform skin testing and desensitization.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the 'most common' side effect of penicillin.
Recall the major adverse effect categories for common drugs. For antibiotics, these are typically GI upset, hypersensitivity, and organ-specific toxicity.
Evaluate the options provided. 'Rashes with itching' points to a hypersensitivity reaction. 'Gastro Intestinal disturbances' is another common category.
Differentiate between 'frequent' and 'characteristic/most tested'. While GI upset is frequent with many antibiotics, penicillin is famous for its potential to cause allergic reactions. Nursing exams often focus on these defining, safety-critical characteristics.
Eliminate options that are clearly incorrect or less common. Fever is possible but less common than rash/GI issues. Renal calculi are not associated with penicillin.
Select the option that represents the most clinically significant and well-known common side effect, which in this case is the hypersensitivity reaction manifesting as a rash.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 2 p. 298-300

E6 Pharmacology Katzung 16e p. 1243-1245