S.anaphylactic hock: according to the first elements that emerged from the autopsy, this could have been the cause (not yet confirmed) of the death of Martina Quadrino, the 13-year-old girl, originally from Fondi, who died a few days ago. According to an initial reconstruction Martina, who suffered from food allergies, she began to feel bad after eating a sandwich with some friends. Once she returned home, her conditions worsened further, up to the respiratory crisis that made any rescue attempt by the health workers useless.
Precisely because of its sudden onset, anaphylactic shock it is a very frightening condition, especially i parents of young children. According to the experts ofBambino Gesù Hospital in Rome in Europe about 17 million people suffer from food allergies e in the pediatric age the percentage would settle around 3-4% in the first three years of life.
Know the risks e know what to do in case of a severe allergic reaction it is therefore fundamental. So here’s everything you need to know about the anaphylactic shock.
Anaphylactic shock: what it is
By anaphylactic shock, or anaphylaxis, we mean one generalized allergic reaction, which occurs suddenly and which, if not promptly treated, can lead to death. Originally an allergen, that is, one harmless substance for most peoplewhich in predisposed patients causes the production of IgE antibodies, or those antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a stimulus perceived as a threat. When the allergic person comes into contact with the allergen for the first time, however, no type of reaction is triggered.
«In the first contact, a visible reaction is not triggered but in reality something happens inside our body – she explains Dr. Elena Bozzola of the Italian Society of Pediatrics – the first contact with the allergen, in fact, inside the predisposed organism, triggers the production of IgE which bind on the surface of some cells, mast cells and basophils. For this reason, in case of subsequent contact with the allergen, these cells release the inflammatory mediators and we witness the real allergic reaction. This is the common mechanism that all allergies obviously do it becomes more severe in cases of true anaphylaxis“.
Anaphylactic shock: what can it be triggered by
Among the main allergens that can trigger allergic reactions in predisposed patients, there are foodsparticularly milk, egg, hazelnut, peanut, fish and wheatthe venom of hymenoptera such as bee, wasp, horneti medications including penicillin, cephalosporins, NSAIDs and also i contrast media.
“However, we must remember that, although rarer, there are also allergic reactions triggered by exercise – explains Dr. Bozzola – for example, there are people who are allergic to a certain food but in which an allergic reaction is triggered only if that given food is taken before or during a physical exercise intense. In this case we speak of exercise anaphylaxis“.
Anaphylactic shock: what are the symptoms to watch out for
To intervene promptly it is good to know which are the signals which may suggest an allergic reaction.
“The problem is actually that there is no specific symptom – emphasizes the pediatrician – it is rather a set of symptoms. The peculiar aspect is the speed with which these symptoms manifest themselves: it may take just 30 seconds or a minute. Generally, the earlier the reaction, the more severe the symptoms that occur. However, it must be taken into account that allergic reactions can also occur a few hours after contact with the allergen. The initial symptoms can be tingling, feeling of warmthwhich may be followed by symptoms that are considered more at risk, that is hives, difficulty in breathing, edema of the glottis resulting in no longer being able to swallow, itchy tongue. It’s still very fast heart rate, hypotension and collapse. One can also be associated with these gastrointestinal symptoms with pain, nausea and vomiting ».
How to intervene?
If a child is at risk, i.e. in cases where the allergy has already been ascertained, parents must always have the life saving kitthat is one vial of adrenaline with auto-injector and be instructed on how to use it properly.
Source: Vanity Fair
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