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Anaphylaxis: An overwhelming allergic reaction.

Article Excerpt
Anaphylaxis: An overwhelming allergic reaction

Swift action is needed to short-circuit potentially deadly symptoms.

Sarah Lyman had no reason to worry when her husband John left the house for a jog after lunch: he looked his usual healthy self. Twenty minutes later, she got word that he had collapsed by the side of the road * fighting for breath. At the hospital, she learned that the cause was anaphylaxis (also called anaphylactic shock or allergic shock), likely brought on by the lobster salad they'd eaten for lunch. Fortunately, John was treated in time and survived. That he was allergic to shellfish was news to him.

Anaphylaxis is a severe and sometimes life-threatening reaction that can develop within an hour * and sometimes within minutes or even seconds * after exposure to an allergen, a substance to which an individual's immune system has become sensitized. Many allergens can touch off anaphylaxis, including foods, medications, and insect stings (see "Anaphylaxis triggers"). In John Lyman's case, his postprandial jog likely played a role: anaphylaxis is occasionally triggered by aerobic activity like jogging * especially after ingesting allergenic foods or medications. Sometimes, the cause is unknown.

Anaphylaxis triggers

Trigger

Examples/sources

Foods

Peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews), shellfish (lobster, shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, oysters), fish, milk, eggs. Food additives, including spices and vegetable gums.

Insect stings

Insects from the order Hymenoptera, which includes Vespidae (hornets, yellow jackets, wasps), Apidae (bumblebees, honeybees), and Formicidae (fire ants).

Drugs

Antibiotics (especially those in the penicillin and cephalosporin groups); nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin; some contrast agents (dyes) used in diagnostic x-rays and scans; chemotherapy agents* (platin drugs, taxanes, doxorubicin); opiates; monoclonal antibodies.

Natural rubber latex**

May be found in medical and dental supplies, including some disposable gloves, catheters, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, goggles, and dental dams;...

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