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What is it about ?
Anaphylaxis is a very serious allergic reaction, which can develop very quickly into a life-threatening situation. Anaphylaxis is triggered by some food (nuts, fish, crustaceans, fruits, etc.), medications (antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, etc.), vaccines, insect bites, X-ray contrast medium, blood transfusion, rubber, etc. An anaphylactic reaction is more common in people with a known allergy.
How to recognize it?
The first symptoms are:
- redness of the skin, a tingling, burning or itching sensation
- increased heart rate,
- feeling of swelling in the throat, cough,
- nausea or vomiting.
Sometimes a loss of consciousness occurs even before the aforementioned complaints are expressed.
In addition to the first possible symptoms, other symptoms appear quite quickly:
- swelling of the skin and mucous membranes, mainly in the eyelids and lips;
- swelling of the throat with hoarseness, difficulty breathing and coughing;
- abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea;
- sweating, feeling of fainting;
- in severe cases: contraction or spasm of the muscles of the throat, loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will ask you questions about your history and how your symptoms are progressing. He will do a physical examination: he will examine your skin, take your blood pressure and check your heart and lungs. In doing so, he can distinguish between a asthma attack, loss of consciousness, other causes of shock, or skin or lung problems.
What can you do ?
If you suspect an anaphylactic reaction, it is best to contact a doctor without delay. If you have had this kind of reaction in the past, you should always carry a ready-to-use epinephrine syringe (Epipen®, Jext®) with you. If this kind of reaction occurs, you should give it directly into your quadriceps (thigh muscle). It is recommended that you have a warning note with you (eg in your wallet) so that those present can better assess what to do if you become unconscious.
What can your doctor do?
The basis of treatment is to administer adrenaline by injection into a muscle or by infusion, with the addition of assistance to vital functions (heart, brain and kidneys). Emergency hospitalization for observation may be required, as even after symptoms resolve, the reaction may return spontaneously.
Cortisone by infusion can help control the anaphylactic reaction. But its action is much slower than that of adrenaline.
Inhaled medications help relieve the airways.
Antihistamines can be used in the presence of severe skin reactions and itching.
If you are allergic to bee or wasp stings, you can take special treatment in this regard. In this case, an allergy specialist (allergist) can advise you.
Want to know more?
- Adrenaline – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
- Corticosteroids – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
- Antihistamines – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
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