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Medicine vocabulary · Diseases by System

Anaphylaxis

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˌænəfəˈlæksɪs/nounCommon term

In medicine, anaphylaxis means: A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that develops quickly and affects breathing, circulation or both.

In Turkish: anafilaksi, anafilaktik reaksiyon

How it is used

Common triggers are foods such as peanuts, insect stings and drugs such as antibiotics. Signs include swelling of the lips and throat, wheeze, low blood pressure and a rash. It is a medical emergency, and adrenaline (US: epinephrine) is the first-line treatment.

Example sentences

  1. He went into anaphylaxis within minutes of eating a cake that contained nuts.

  2. She carries an adrenaline auto-injector because of previous anaphylaxis to bee stings.

Common collocations

  • severe anaphylaxis
  • go into anaphylaxis
  • anaphylaxis to penicillin
  • treat anaphylaxis
  • allergyA harmful reaction of the immune system to something that is normally harmless, such as a medicine, a food or pollen.
  • wheezeA high-pitched whistling sound made when air moves through narrowed airways, usually heard when breathing out.
  • swellingAn increase in the size of a body part, usually caused by fluid, inflammation or injury, such as swollen ankles or a swollen joint.
  • rashAn area of skin that changes in colour or texture, for example becoming red, spotty, bumpy or itchy.
  • adverse drug reactionA harmful, unintended effect of a medicine taken in the normal way, ranging from a mild rash to a life-threatening reaction.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Diseases by System

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.