Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something a person is allergic to.
Anaphylaxis requires an injection of adrenaline (often done via an EpiPen) and an immediate trip to a hospital emergency department. If anaphylaxis isn’t treated right away, it can be fatal.
The most common triggers are food allergies, eg to peanuts, fish, shellfish and milk. Other triggers can include:
Anaphylaxis occurs quickly – often within minutes of exposure to a trigger. Always seek help, as it can take several hours for the full allergic reaction to occur.
Most allergic reactions happen very quickly and may include some of the following:
Treatment for anaphylaxis is an adrenaline injection into the thigh muscle, often done using an EpiPen adrenaline auto-injector. EpiPen provides a safe method of injecting adrenaline without medical training or risk of needle stick injury. Antihistamines and anti-inflammatory steroids can be used after a reaction has been treated with adrenaline.
People who have experienced an anaphylactic reaction should always carry an EpiPen with them. There are two strengths of EpiPen – EpiPen Adult and EpiPen Junior – with the correct dose based on the child’s weight.
Our service is designed to make managing multiple medicines easy. Our Monthly Medicines Service is free to eligible patients taking four or more regular medicines.
