Sudden and dangerous anaphylactic shock

The man was stung by a bee - and a few minutes later he was dead. The woman was given a medicine designed to improve her condition, but it turned out to be fatal for her. The boy ate a peanut butter sandwich - and that was his last breakfast in life. The reason for all these unreasoned, but quite real tragedies is anaphylactic shock. Before this phenomenon, some people experience awe, almost superstitious fear - the painful innocent causes painful consequences. At the same time, this process is well studied, and in the arsenal of physicians there are all the necessary techniques and drugs that allow to minimize the likelihood of a lethal outcome. The main thing is that the help was rendered without delay.

Anaphylactic shock is an acute form of an allergic reaction, which is characterized by rapid development of severe disorders of the circulatory and respiratory organs, metabolism and central nervous system. The immune system of people prone to anaphylaxis (allergic seizures), too violently reacts to a certain allergen, and in just a few minutes the entire body is caught in a shock state. Heart palpitations grow, the skin turns pale, a rash appears on them, a person experiences acute respiratory failure, and a loss of consciousness begins. If you do not help in time, in 10-20 percent of cases, anaphylaxis leads to death.

There are four degrees of severity of the reaction. At the first anaphylactic shock lasts from a few minutes to a couple of hours, with a headache, itching, tachycardia, shortness of breath and weakness. The average severity is characterized by Quinck's swelling, arrhythmia, a decrease in pressure, nausea and vomiting. At the third - a severe stage - acute cardiovascular insufficiency develops , respiration is interrupted, often a loss of consciousness occurs. An extremely serious degree is an instantaneous development of a collapse threatening the life of a patient, a coma or a cardiac arrest.

Especially often anaphylactic shock is a reaction to a drug. Most often these are penicillin drugs, novocaine, streptomycin, vitamin B, some protein preparations, vaccines, antiseptics and even regular analgin. The second most "popular" cause is stings of stinging insects, such as bees and wasps. The allergen in this case is their poison. Often, anaphylactic shock also occurs when eating different foods. For some allergy sufferers, fish represent a danger, for others - eggs, for others - dairy products, for the fourth - peanuts and legumes.

There are rare enough kinds of an allergy. So, in some people anaphylactic shock can be caused by contact with products made of latex. Occasionally, the cause of the attack is even physical factors - cold allergy is known, in which signs of anaphylaxis occur as a result of hypothermia.

Of course, life itself teaches allergy sufferers precautionary measures, and they try to avoid dangerous contacts. By the way, anaphylactic shock in children is quite rare, as fate gives them the opportunity to gain life experience before being subjected to difficult tests. A harbinger of future susceptibility to allergens in babies may be urticaria - a skin rash. Subsequently, parents already know about the increased sensitivity of the organism of their child and teach him certain rules with which he will live on.

Given the speed with which anaphylactic shock develops, it is useful to be able to provide emergency care, especially if anaphylaxis is susceptible to someone from relatives, friends, co-workers. First of all, it is necessary to immediately stop contact with the allergen; In the case of an insect bite, remove the sting, apply a tourniquet near the site of injury, apply cooling with water or ice. Immediately need to call an ambulance, and before her arrival try to keep the amazed in the mind, talking with him. Probably, skills of artificial respiration to the victim and indirect massage of heart are necessary . Further doctors will do it - in part on the spot, and after stabilization of the condition - already in a hospital.