Anaphylaxis, also known as anaphylactic shock, is a severe allergic reaction, which can be fatal if not treated quickly. This reaction is triggered by the body itself when there is a reaction to a type of allergen, which can be a food, medicine, insect poison, substance or material.
The anaphylactic reaction begins quickly and can develop in minutes or hours, resulting in symptoms such as low blood pressure, swelling of the lips, mouth and shortness of breath.
- If anaphylaxis is suspected.
- It is recommended to go to the medical emergency room immediately.
- So that treatment is done as quickly as possible.
- Treatment usually involves administering injectable adrenaline and tracking a person’s vital signs.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis usually appear very quickly and include
In addition, other less common symptoms, which may also appear include incontinence, abdominal cramping, vomiting and a strange metallic taste in the mouth.
In addition, the type of symptoms may also vary by age. The following table shows the most common symptoms in children and adults:
Anaphylaxis is caused by exposure to allergens, substances to which the immune system overreacts. Here are some examples of the most common allergens:
Learn how to identify what may be causing the allergy with a test
Treatment of anaphylaxis should be started as soon as possible in the hospital and, therefore, if this type of reaction is suspected it is very important to go to the emergency room. In the face of anaphylactic shock, the first thing that is usually done is the administration of injectable adrenaline. The person is then under observation at the hospital, where their vital signs are monitored.
In addition, in some cases, it may be necessary to administer oxygen and other medicines, such as antihistamines, such as clemastin or intramuscular or intravenous hydroxyzine, oral corticosteroids, such as methylprednisolone or prednisolone and, if necessary, repeat intramuscular adrenaline every 5 minutes. up to a maximum of 3 minutes.
In case of bronchospasm, it may be necessary to use salbutamol by inhalation. For hypotension, a saline or crystalloid solution may be administered.