Medical Contraindication

A Medical Contraindication is a medical recommendation that advices against the use of certain medical treatments or interventions because it could be harmful to a patient with a medical condition or symptom.

Context:
- It can range from being a Relative Contraindication to being an Absolute Contraindication.
Example(s):
- Isotretinoin, a drug used to treat acne, is absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy due to the risk of birth defects;
- certain decongestants are contraindicated in people with high blood pressure;
- a person who takes warfarin to thin the blood should not take aspirin, which is also a blood thinner;
- a person with a bleeding disorder should not take aspirin because treatment with aspirin may cause excess bleeding;
- aspirin is almost always contraindicated for children because of the danger that aspirin will cause Reye syndrome;
- X-rays in pregnancy are relatively contraindicated because of concern for the developing fetus;
- …
Counter-Example(s):

See: Test Treatment, Classification of Pharmaco-Therapeutic Referrals (CPR), Drug Reaction Testing, Never Events.

References

2021a

(Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraindication Retrieved:2021-12-5.
- In medicine, a contraindication is a condition that serves as a reason not to take a certain medical treatment due to the harm that it would cause the patient. Contraindication is the opposite of indication, which is a reason to use a certain treatment. Absolute contraindications are contraindications for which there are no reasonable circumstances for undertaking a course of action. For example, children and teenagers with viral infections should not be given aspirin because of the risk of Reye syndrome, and a person with an anaphylactic food allergy should never eat the food to which they are allergic. Similarly, a person with hemochromatosis should not be administered iron preparations.
  Relative contraindications are contraindications for circumstances in which the patient is at higher risk of complications from treatment, but these risks may be outweighed by other considerations or mitigated by other measures. For example, a pregnant woman should normally avoid getting X-rays, but the risk may be outweighed by the benefit of diagnosing (and then treating) a serious condition such as tuberculosis. Relative contraindications may also be referred to as cautions, such as in the British National Formulary.

2021b

(Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_clinical_research Retrieved:2021-12-5.
- QUOTE: Contraindication
  - A specific circumstance when the use of certain treatments could be harmful. (NLM)

2021c

(NCI, 2021) ⇒ https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/contraindication Retrieved:2021-12-5.
- QUOTE: Anything (including a symptom or medical condition) that is a reason for a person to not receive a particular treatment or procedure because it may be harmful. For example, having a bleeding disorder is a contraindication for taking aspirin because treatment with aspirin may cause excess bleeding.

2021d

(Medicine-Net, 2021) ⇒ https://www.medicinenet.com/contraindication/definition.htm Retrieved:2021-12-5.
- QUOTE: Contraindication: A condition which makes a particular treatment or procedure potentially inadvisable. A contraindication may be absolute or relative.
  - An absolute contraindication is a situation which makes a particular treatment or procedure absolutely inadvisable. In children, for example, aspirin is almost always contraindicated because of the danger that aspirin will cause Reye syndrome.
  - A relative contraindication is a condition which makes a particular treatment or procedure possibly inadvisable. For example, X-rays in pregnancy are relatively contraindicated (because of concern for the developing fetus) unless the X-rays are absolutely necessary.

Contraindications often highlight the balance of risk versus benefit of a particular treatment or procedure.

2021e

(Medline-Plus, 2021) ⇒ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002314.htm Retrieved:2021-12-5.
- QUOTE: A contraindication is a specific situation in which a drug, procedure, or surgery should not be used because it may be harmful to the person.
  There are two types of contraindications:
  - Relative contraindication means that caution should be used when two drugs or procedures are used together. (It is acceptable to do so if the benefits outweigh the risk.)
  - Absolute contraindication means that event or substance could cause a life-threatening situation. A procedure or medicine that falls under this category must be avoided.

Some treatments may cause unwanted or dangerous reactions in people with allergies, high blood pressure, or pregnancy. For example, isotretinoin, a drug used to treat acne, is absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy due to the risk of birth defects. Certain decongestants are contraindicated in people with high blood pressure and should be avoided.

Many medicines should not be used together by the same person. For instance, a person who takes warfarin to thin the blood should not take aspirin, which is also a blood thinner. This is an example of a relative contraindication.

2021f

(HIV/AIDS Glossary, 2021) ⇒ https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/glossary/contraindication Retrieved:2021-12-5.
- QUOTE: Contraindication
  A situation in which a particular treatment or procedure should not be used because it could be potentially harmful. For example, use of a specific drug may be contraindicated during pregnancy.

2010

(ClinicaTrials.gov, 2010) ⇒ ClinicalTrials.gov. (2010). “Glossary of Clinical Trials Terms." (2010-09-21)
- QUOTE: CONTRAINDICATION: A specific circumstance when the use of certain treatments could be harmful.