If you’ve ever seen a friend or loved one go through anaphylactic shock, you know how scary it can be. The good news is that you could save your loved one’s life by learning to recognize the symptoms of anaphylaxis, and knowing how to administer emergency medication.

Anaphylactic shock is a severe allergic reaction in which the entire body mounts a massive attack to counter an allergen. It leads to swelling in the throat, airway constriction in the lungs, and a whole series of body system shutdowns. Unless treated quickly, anaphylactic shock can kill.

People allergic to insect venom, some foods, medications, chemicals, or latex are susceptible to anaphylactic shock. In fact, anyone who has a life-threatening allergy or a history of severe symptoms should carry an anaphylaxis emergency kit at all times, according to the American Lung Association.

If your friend or loved one has severe allergies, but doesn’t have a kit, encourage him or her to talk to the doctor about getting one. Ideally, the doctor can show you too how to use the kit, then watch while you try it yourself. Be sure to follow the instructions for usage that the doctor or pharmacist gives you.

Symptoms of anaphylactic shock

Some symptoms are invisible to the person looking on, like tingling or itching of the mouth and throat, lightheadedness, and anxiety. Others are more obvious. You may see the person’s lips or face swelling, and note the sudden appearance of hives, welts or red blotches on the skin. You may hear wheezing, or the person under attack may report difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, stomach cramps, or tightness in the throat. Vomiting or diarrhea may be present and, as the process advances, blood pressure may drop. The person may become unable to speak or breathe, and he or she may even lose consciousness.

Have someone else dial 911, while you administer the emergency medication. If no one else is available, give the shot first, then call 911. Even if symptoms subside (as they should) it’s imperative that your loved one seek emergency medical care without delay.

The injectable epinephrine kit

Know where the emergency kit is. It’s usually small enough to carry in a purse, backpack, or jacket pocket. In it, you’ll find either a syringe (with a visible needle) or an autoinjector (with a needle concealed inside the black tip). Both contain an injectable medicine called epinephrine. The emergency epinephrine injection lasts only 10-20 minutes, just enough time to get emergency medical help. Whether you can see the needle or not, the following basic rules apply:

• Give the shot in the fleshy outer portion of the upper arm, thigh, or belly. Epinephrine should be delivered into fatty tissue, never in the muscle or a vein.
• You can give the shot through clothing. If you can’t find bare skin immediately (on the upper arm, thigh, or belly), give the shot without removing clothing.
• Give the entire dose.
• Save the used syringe or autoinjector to give to emergency medical personnel. Be careful not to stick yourself or anyone else with it.
• Tell emergency medical personnel you’ve given epinephrine. If you know what triggered the reaction (a bee sting, for example) tell them.

Very few people die from anaphylactic shock when it is treated quickly (with an emergency injection) and followed up by a visit to the emergency room. Now that you know how to recognize symptoms and deliver the emergency medication, you and your loved one can relax and enjoy life fearlessly.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 at 7:33 am and is filed under Caregivers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.