HealthInfo Canterbury

Anaphylaxis (severe allergy)

Anaphylaxis is a severe life-threatening allergic reaction. Causes include insect bites, bee stings, food (for example, nuts), and medications. Anaphylaxis tends to happen in just a matter of minutes. Signs and symptoms to look out for include:

tongue swelling swelling or tightness in the throat difficulty breathing – may be noisy or wheezy (whistling sound)

difficulty talking collapse loss of consciousness floppy and pale (young children).

First aid

How do I help someone suffering anaphylaxis?

• Remove any suspected causes of the allergic reaction.
• Call for help – stay with the person and call 111 or, if someone else is available, ask them to call 111.
• Lay the person flat on the ground or, if they are having trouble breathing, sit them down.
• Look for a medical alert bracelet or necklace.
• Check if the person has an adrenaline injection pen (for example an Epipen or Anapen). If they do and are unable to use it themselves, follow the instructions below for using one.

How do I use an adrenaline injection pen (for example an Epipen or Anapen)?

An Epipen or Anapen is an automatic adrenaline injector for the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis. Medical training is not needed to use one.

• Find an injection site in the outer mid-thigh muscle that is covered by no more than one layer of clothing.
• If there is more layers of clothing, seams, or pockets in the way, remove them from the injection site.
• Hold the injection pen in your fist and remove the cap.
• Move the pen to about 10 cm above the injection site.
• Firmly jab the tip of the pen into the person's thigh and hold it in place for 10 seconds.
• Remove the pen and massage the injection site for another 10 seconds. Many injection pens automatically cover the needle after use.

What can I do if I'm at risk of anaphylaxis?

If you're at risk of anaphylaxis, talk to your doctor. You can ask them to help you complete an action plan that you can then keep with your adrenaline. The practice nurses at your general practice can give you and your whānau or family training in how to use an adrenaline injection pen.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

• Medsafe – Severe Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis) to Medicines

  A downloadable pdf about allergic reactions to medicines and what to do if you experience one.

• Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) – Action Plan for Anaphylaxis

  A PDF action plan you can keep with your adrenaline.

• St John – Allergic Reaction

  A short video on how to use an Epipen in an emergency.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Updated November 2016.

Sources

Page reference: 48946

Review key: HIAPH-19327