From the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
the Department of Family Practice, Chilliwack General Hospital, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
Correspondence
Address reprint requests to Dr Brady, Department of Emergency Medicine, Box 523-21, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908.
From the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
the Department of Family Practice, Chilliwack General Hospital, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
Correspondence
Address reprint requests to Dr Brady, Department of Emergency Medicine, Box 523-21, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908.
To view the full text, please login as a subscribed user or purchase a subscription.
Click here to view the full text on ScienceDirect.
Abstract
Anaphylaxis, a multisystem allergic reaction, represents a true medical emergency. Anaphylaxis is characterized by a combination of the following: urticaria, angioedema, distributive shock, and respiratory failure. Most often, the patient is rapidly treated with prompt resolution of the anaphylaxis in either the out-of-hospital or emergency department (ED) setting. Infrequently, recurrent, or multiphasic, anaphylaxis is encountered, involving a reappearance of allergic phenomena after complete resolution of the original reaction. Recurrence may involve nuisance-level issues such as urticaria; alternatively, multiphasic reactions may be characterized by cardiovascular collapse and/or respiratory compromise. Initially aggressive pharmacological therapy followed by prolonged observation in either the ED or the in-hospital setting is strongly recommended to monitor for potential recurrence.
