What is the unintended reaction to a normal dose of a medication known as?

The unintended reaction to a normal dose of a medication is known as a side effect. Side effects are typically secondary effects that occur in addition to the intended therapeutic effects of the medication. They can vary from mild to severe and may affect different individuals in different ways, depending on factors like individual sensitivity, interactions with other medications, or underlying health conditions. Understanding side effects is crucial for both patients and healthcare providers to ensure the safe and effective use of medications.

In contrast, the desired effect refers to the specific therapeutic outcome that a medication aims to achieve, tolerance relates to a patient's decreased response to a drug after prolonged use, and cumulative effect refers to the buildup of a drug in the body over time, which can lead to toxicity. These distinctions are important when considering how a patient's body responds to medication.