All about allergy

Author: Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Previous contributing authors and editors: John A Calomeni, MD, JD, Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Seton Medical Center; Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM, Research Director, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, [...]

With appropriate and timely treatment, you can expect full recovery. With severe anaphylaxis, although rare, people may die from low blood pressure (shock) or respiratory and cardiac arrest.   Allergy journal

Strictly avoid contact with the substance (allergen) that was the trigger. If the trigger is a food, you must learn to read food labels carefully. When ordering foods at restaurants or eating in friends’ homes, ask about ingredients. Be aware of ingredients that may contain triggers. Avoid eating foods if you can’t confirm their ingredients. [...]

You will usually be observed for at least six hours after the beginning of the reaction. Occasionally, a reaction will seem to get better and then recur, and even worsen, in a few hours. Sometimes the severity of the reaction will require admission to the hospital. Upon leaving the hospital emergency department, you should immediately [...]

Epinephrine – Given in severe allergic reactions, epinephrine is extremely effective and fast-acting; it acts by constricting blood vessels, which increases blood pressure, and widening the airway. Epinephrine is given by injection into the muscle, through an IV line, or by injection under the skin. H1-receptor blockers/antihistamines – Usually diphenhydramine (Benadryl); these drugs do not [...]

The first priority in the emergency department is to protect the airway (breathing) and maintain adequate blood pressure. The emergency team will make sure that your airway is open and that you are getting adequate oxygen. Oxygen may be given through tubes into the nose or by face mask. In severe respiratory distress, mechanical ventilation [...]

Severe Allergic Reaction Treatment Self-Care at Home Do not attempt to treat severe reactions or to «wait it out» at home. Go immediately to the nearest emergency department or call an ambulance. While waiting for the ambulance, try to stay calm. If you can identify the cause of the reaction, prevent further exposure. Take an [...]

Anaphylactic reactions are diagnosed solely on the basis of signs and symptoms. No specific tests are helpful. Your health care provider may order tests to rule out other conditions.   Allergy journal

Act quickly if someone experiences the symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction. True anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment in an emergency department of a hospital, where the person can be watched closely and life-saving treatment can be given. It is impossible to predict how severe the allergic reaction will be. Any person [...]

The symptoms of anaphylaxis can vary. In some people, the reaction begins very slowly, but in most the symptoms appear rapidly and abruptly. The most severe and life-threatening symptoms are difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness. Difficulty breathing is due to swelling and/or spasm in the airways (which can include swelling of the tongue or [...]

An anaphylactic reaction occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts to an antigen, which it recognizes as an «invader» or foreign substance. The body’s white blood cells produce substances called antibodies as a reaction to that antigen. The antibodies circulate in the bloodstream and attach themselves to certain cells in the body. In an allergic [...]

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and causes a life-threatening response involving the whole body. This reaction can lead to difficulty breathing and shock ultimately leading to death. For an anaphylactic reaction to occur, you must have been exposed in the past to the substance that causes the reaction, called the antigen. [...]