Antihistamines

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is life threatening. A toxin is introduced to the body that our body has been sensitized to on earlier exposure and our immune system responds with an anaphylactic reaction. Immediate treatment is necessary.

Causes: Chemotherapy and other medications, food, insect bites or stings, environmental toxins, such as pollen, or animal dander.

Symptoms to watch for in an anaphylactic allergic reaction include the following:
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing, abnormal high pitched breathing sounds, coughing, and nasal congestion.
- Tongue, lips, and eyelids swelling.
- Fainting, dizziness, light headedness, confusion, slurred speech, and anxiety.
- Hives such as urticaria, raised, itchy blotches, skin redness.
- Abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
- Internal reactions include low blood pressure, shock, and death.

Treatment:
- Help prevent exacerbation by having the patient lie flat, do not raise the patient's head, lift the patient's feet, cover the patient, and do not give anything by mouth.
- Administer an epinephine pen if available.
- Treatment includes administering epinephine, intravenous cortisone and antihistamines, oxygen, and an albuterol inhaler to assist with the breathing.

Here are a couple of other sites with information on this:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000844.htm
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/understanding-anaphylaxis-basics Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is life threatening. A toxin is introduced to the body that our body has been sensitized to on earlier exposure and our immune system responds with an anaphylactic reaction. Immediate treatment is necessary.

Causes: Chemotherapy and other medications, food, insect bites or stings, environmental toxins, such as pollen, or animal dander.

Symptoms to watch for in an anaphylactic allergic reaction include the following:
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing, abnormal high pitched breathing sounds, coughing, and nasal congestion.
- Tongue, lips, and eyelids swelling.
- Fainting, dizziness, light headedness, confusion, slurred speech, and anxiety.
- Hives such as urticaria, raised, itchy blotches, skin redness.
- Abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
- Internal reactions include low blood pressure, shock, and death.

Treatment:
- Help prevent exacerbation by having the patient lie flat, do not raise the patient's head, lift the patient's feet, cover the patient, and do not give anything by mouth.
- Administer an epinephine pen if available.
- Treatment includes administering epinephine, intravenous cortisone and antihistamines, oxygen, and an albuterol inhaler to assist with the breathing.

Here are a couple of other sites with information on this:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000844.htm
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/understanding-anaphylaxis-basics

Hives are patches of edema (swelling) that occur on the skin surface. Hives are swollen areas of the skin that are red and itch. Hives may change shape, go away, and reappear. Hives commonly appear in the upper arms, legs, neck, and sides of the body.

Treatment
- For mild symptoms treatment may not be needed
- Avoid the offending agent causing the hives
- Cool soaks

- Over the counter treatment includes
- Antihistamines topically or orally;
- Anti-inflammatory medicines (corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone cream topically or oral agents)

For moderate to severe symptoms which include breathing difficulty, emergency treatment should be initiated.
Epi-pen (Epinephrine) may be administered. Hives are patches of edema (swelling) that occur on the skin surface. Hives are swollen areas of the skin that are red and itch. Hives may change shape, go away, and reappear. Hives commonly appear in the upper arms, legs, neck, and sides of the body.

Treatment
- For mild symptoms treatment may not be needed
- Avoid the offending agent causing the hives
- Cool soaks

- Over the counter treatment includes
- Antihistamines topically or orally;
- Anti-inflammatory medicines (corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone cream topically or oral agents)

For moderate to severe symptoms which include breathing difficulty, emergency treatment should be initiated.
Epi-pen (Epinephrine) may be administered.