We will be covering three main questions on Anaphylaxis: What is it? What causes it? How do we treat it?
See attached.
Get the class to name specific causes from each category. Food - Medications - Insect Venom- Latex - Exercise - Idiopathic (unknown causes)
Symptoms that suggest anaphylaxis Generalized flushing of the skin Nettle Rash Sense of impending doom Swelling of the mouth and throat (angio-oedema) Difficulty swallowing or speaking Alterations in heart rate Asthma Abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting Sudden feeling of weakness Collapse and unconscioussness Allergens Responsible? Peanut Tree nuts Milk and dairy products Egg Sesame Fish Shellfish Natural latex rubber Wasp and bee venom Penicillin
Epinephrine Epinephrine is a hormone produced in the body by the adrenal glands. It is released at times of acute stress to enhance our capability of "fight or flight". It increases heart rate, diverts blood to the muscles, constricts blood vessels and opens the airways. When you administer a dose of epinephrine, you are giving the body something that it is making already. You are just giving it faster and at a higher dose. Epi Sr./Jr.? Dosage difference. How to hold it. Check for expiry date, check for cloudiness How is it stored? Epi does not last long Practical exercise