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Anaphylaxis Blog

Related terms: Anaphylactic Reaction, Anaphylactic Shock, Shock, Anaphylactic

Blog (15)

Many People Misuse Devices for Asthma, Allergic Reaction

Posted 18 Dec 2014 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2014 – Few people know how to properly use the medical devices that contain lifesaving medications for severe allergic reactions and asthma attacks, a new study shows. Just 16 percent knew the correct way to use an epinephrine injector for someone with a life-threatening allergy. And only 7 percent knew how to use an asthma inhaler as directed. "This isn't a new concern. We always worry about our patients, especially those with food allergies," said one of the study's authors, Dr. Aasia Ghazi, from the Allergy and Asthma Specialists of Dallas. "We had a patient call in the middle of a reaction, and she didn't remember how to use the epinephrine injector. That's why we looked to see what's going on, and what are the barriers that keep patients from using these devices properly?" Ghazi explained. The study was published online Dec. 18 in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma ... Read more

Experts Urge Quick Use of Epinephrine for Severe Allergic Reactions

Posted 2 Dec 2014 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Dec. 2, 2014 – People having a severe allergic reaction need immediate treatment with the medication epinephrine, newly released guidelines say. But, not all medical personnel are aware of the importance of epinephrine, according to the guideline authors. A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) caused by food, latex or an insect sting can lead to throat swelling, breathing problems, heart attack and even death. Epinephrine can halt that severe allergic reaction. There is virtually no reason not to use epinephrine on people believed to be suffering a severe allergic reaction, according to the guidelines from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). "Since emergency department physicians are often the first to see patients who are suffering from anaphylaxis, it's especially important that they not only correctly diagnose the problem, but understand that ... Read more

Schools With EpiPens Save Lives, Study Says

Posted 7 Nov 2014 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Nov. 7, 2014 – Keeping supplies of epinephrine in schools saves lives, a new study finds. Epinephrine injections are given when someone suffers a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to food or an insect sting. This study found that stocked emergency epinephrine was used on 35 children and three adults who suffered anaphylaxis in Chicago Public Schools during the 2012-13 school year. The drug was administered by a school nurse in three-quarters of the cases. Sixty-three percent of the incidents occurred in elementary schools and 37 percent in high schools. The most common causes of food-related anaphylaxis were peanuts (55 percent) and fish such as salmon, tuna and flounder (13 percent). The findings were scheduled for presentation Friday at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Atlanta. "We were surprised to see that of ... Read more

Medicines Are Biggest Culprit in Fatal Allergic Reactions: Study

Posted 10 Oct 2014 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Oct. 9, 2014 – Although food allergies have garnered a lot of attention lately, a new study reports that medications are actually the biggest cause of sudden deaths related to allergy. Over a little more than a decade, nearly 60 percent of the allergy-related deaths were caused by medications, while less than 7 percent were caused by food allergies, the study found. "Medications can be dangerous," said study researcher Dr. Elina Jerschow, director of the Drug Allergy Center at Montefiore Medical Center and assistant professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City. While research from other countries has reported medications as a major culprit in anaphylaxis-related deaths, Jerschow said, the problem has been less defined in the United States. One reason is that there is no national registry for anaphylaxis deaths, she said. The study was ... Read more

More Schools Stocking Shots That Counter Serious Allergic Reactions

Posted 19 Sep 2014 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Sept. 19, 2014 – More states are passing legislation permitting or requiring schools to stock the medication epinephrine to use for any child having a severe allergic reaction. Epinephrine auto-injectors are the primary treatment for "anaphylaxis," an allergic reaction that can lead to throat swelling, breathing difficulties, a steep drop in blood pressure and even death. In people with severe allergies to certain foods, such as peanuts or tree nuts, insect venom or certain drugs, anaphylaxis can occur within moments of exposure to the allergen, explained Dr. Scott Sicherer, a professor of pediatrics, allergy and immunology at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. But if given soon enough, epinephrine can halt the anaphylactic reaction, saving the child's life, Sicherer said. "An anaphylactic reaction can progress rapidly and can ... Read more

Stocking Epinephrine in Schools Might Save Lives

Posted 17 Jan 2014 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2014 – As a pediatrician at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Sarah Denny has seen her share of the life-threatening reactions that can happen with food allergies. That didn't make it any less scary when her son Liam, then 18 months old, drank soy milk and was soon covered in hives and having trouble breathing. Moments later, he was unconscious. She called 911 while her husband jabbed their son in the thigh with an epinephrine pen. "I could hear sirens on the way to us," Denny recalled. "I'm holding Liam out on the curb, and my medical brain kicked in. I thought, 'I need to be doing chest compressions.' " She didn't have to – the epinephrine quickly took effect. On the way to the hospital, her son woke up. Fifteen minutes later he was smiling and talking again. "Epinephrine works very quickly. As long as you give it soon enough, it can reverse a ... Read more

Many Allergic to Fire Ant's Sting Don't Get Preventive Shots

Posted 4 Mar 2013 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, March 4 – For some people, a sting from the ubiquitous fire ant can provoke potentially severe reactions, but a new study finds that only one-third of people with such allergies get shots that can ease the danger. "Patients are fearful of the injections, and often feel that the time investment will never pay off in the long run," said one expert, Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Allergy shots to protect against fire ant stings are typically given monthly to provide the best protection. This treatment has been shown to prevent allergy progression and to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can be deadly. However, "the time commitment is significant and typically involves monthly injections over a 3- to 5-year period," said Glatter, who was not involved in the new study. So, despite the ... Read more

Study: Allergies Need to Be Taken Seriously

Posted 9 Nov 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Nov. 9 – The number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations caused by a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis could be reduced if people with allergies took proper preventive measures, according to a new study. Anaphylaxis can occur as a result of food and drug allergies or insect bites and stings. Researchers looked at nearly 12,000 people who went to an emergency department or were hospitalized due to anaphylaxis between 2002 and 2008. Twenty-five percent of the patients had severe anaphylaxis. The patients were less likely to have filled a prescription for lifesaving epinephrine or to have seen an allergist in the previous year, according to the study, which was presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif. "When you have an anaphylactic reaction, epinephrine is important for managing ... Read more

Related support groups: Allergies, Anaphylaxis

Son's Real-Life Drama Leads Comedy Queen to Medical Role

Posted 26 Sep 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26 – Actress Julie Bowen, awarded her second Emmy Sunday for her role in the hit TV comedy "Modern Family," starts a more serious role today: raising awareness about life-threatening childhood allergies. The two-time best supporting actress in a comedy series and mother of three knows firsthand about potentially fatal allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Her oldest son, Oliver Phillips, was 2 years old when he developed anaphylaxis in reaction to the double-whammy exposure of a bee sting coupled with a bit of peanut butter. "We had no reason to suspect we might have a problem. He had had peanuts before. And he had always been fine," the Baltimore native explained. "But then one day we found out that, no, he's not." Almost immediately, Oliver's face swelled dramatically. Other symptoms of anaphylaxis include chest pain; hives; breathing difficulties; tightening of the ... Read more

Sanofi Announces FDA Approval for Auvi-Q, First Voice-guided Epinephrine Auto-injector for Patients with Life-threatening Allergies

Posted 13 Aug 2012 by Drugs.com

PARIS, Aug. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Sanofi announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Audi-Q (epinephrine injection, USP) for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions in people who are at risk for or have a history of anaphylaxis. Auvi-Q is the first-and-only compact epinephrine auto-injector with audio and visual cues that guide patients and caregivers step-by-step through the injection process. Sanofi US licensed the North American commercialization rights to Auvi-Q from Intelliject, Inc., which has retained commercialization rights for the rest of the world. "As a company committed to patient-centered care, our focus is on creating innovative solutions that make a difference in the lives of people," said Anne Whitaker, President, North America Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi. "Auvi-Q delivers on this by offering a state-of-the-art ... Read more

Some Schools Don't Let Kids Carry Asthma Inhalers

Posted 27 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, April 27 – Although all 50 states have laws that allow children with asthma to carry inhalers at school and 48 states have laws that let youngsters carry epinephrine pens for serious allergies, experts say that some kids are still being denied access to these lifesaving medications during the school day. "Every school district handles this a little bit different, and for those who don't allow children to carry their medications, I think may be due to a lack of knowledge. School officials may not appreciate the risk that having epinephrine pens and inhalers in a locked office, instead of with the child, can pose," said Maureen George, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia. "Fewer than 200 children die each year from asthma in the U.S. That number is low, but those deaths are preventable. And it's a double tragedy when you lose ... Read more

More People Need Training in Lifesaving Epinephrine Use, Advocates Say

Posted 9 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 9 – When Jane Able's 4-year-old daughter, Ellie, was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy, the New Albany, Ohio, mother got trained in using an epinephrine pen and never leaves home without it. The device contains an injectable dose of epinephrine, a hormone that can halt even life-threatening allergic reactions. But it's not only Able who needs to know how to use the device – so do teachers, babysitters, even the parents of Ellie's friends. "I carry a 'trainer pen' with me and have them practice using it before I'll leave her," Able said. "I take every precaution." For the parents of kids with food allergies, the news of the death of 7-year-old Ammaria Johnson – who died last month at her Chesterfield County, Va., elementary school after eating a peanut given to her by another child – came as a heartbreaking reminder of how vigilant they need to be to keep their ... Read more

Health Tip: Know the Warning Signs of Anaphylaxis

Posted 10 Jun 2010 by Drugs.com

-- Anaphylaxis is a very serious allergic reaction to a food, medication, material (such as latex) or insect sting. It could be life-threatening, and requires immediate medical attention. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology says common warning signs of anaphylaxis include: A red rash that's usually itchy and has welts. Swelling of the throat or other parts of the body. Wheezing and difficulty breathing. Tightness in the chest. A hoarse voice. Losing consciousness. Difficulty swallowing. Diarrhea, stomach cramps or vomiting. Red or pale skin color. Read more

Related support groups: Anaphylaxis

Penicillin Allergy Might Not Include Related Antibiotic

Posted 27 Feb 2010 by Drugs.com

SATURDAY, Feb. 27 – Most patients who have a history of penicillin allergy can safely take antibiotics called cephalosporins, U.S. researchers say. Cephalosporins – which are related to penicillin in their structure, uses and effects – are the most frequently prescribed class of antibiotics. "Almost all patients undergoing major surgery receive antibiotics to reduce the risk of infections. Many patients with a history of penicillin allergy don't get the cephalosporin because of a concern of possible drug reaction. They might get a second-choice antibiotic that is not quite as effective," study author Dr. James T. Li, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said in a news release from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. He and his colleagues conducted penicillin allergy skin tests on 178 patients who reported a history of severe allergic (anaphylactic) reaction to ... Read more

Kids' Peanut Allergies Might Be Tamed: Study

Posted 27 Feb 2010 by Drugs.com

SATURDAY, Feb. 27 – Help may be on the way for children with serious peanut allergies, with two new studies suggesting that slowly increasing consumption might build kids' tolerance over time. Both studies were small, and designed to build upon each other. They focused on peanut-allergic children whose immune systems were prompted to slowly develop tolerance to the food by consuming a controlled but escalating amount of peanut over a period of up to five years. "The current goal with this work is not to allow patients with peanut allergies to consciously eat peanuts, but to prevent the severe symptoms that can occur should they have accidental ingestion," noted study co-author Dr. Tamara Perry, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine in Little Rock, Ark. "Of course the ultimate goal would be to promote tolerance that ... Read more

Related support groups: Allergies, Allergic Reactions, Anaphylaxis

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