Anaphylaxis

How it is used

A medical emergency, treated first with intramuscular adrenaline (called epinephrine in the US). Patients at risk may carry adrenaline auto-injectors, and pharmacists show them how to use them. The adjective is anaphylactic, as in 'anaphylactic reaction' or, informally, 'anaphylactic shock'.

Example sentences

1. She had anaphylaxis after a wasp sting and now carries two auto-injectors.

2. Pharmacists who give vaccines are trained to recognise and treat anaphylaxis.

Common collocations

• go into anaphylaxis
• treat anaphylaxis
• risk of anaphylaxis
• anaphylactic reaction

Related terms

• allergic reactionA response of the immune system to a medicine or other substance that it wrongly treats as harmful, causing signs such as a rash, itching, swelling or difficulty breathing.
• intramuscularGiven by injection deep into a muscle, such as the upper arm, thigh or buttock, from where the medicine is absorbed into the blood.
• adverse drug reactionA harmful and unintended response to a medicine used at normal doses, ranging from a mild rash to serious damage to the liver, kidneys or blood.
• injectionA way of giving a medicine with a needle and syringe or a pen device into a vein, a muscle or the tissue under the skin; also the liquid medicine itself.

This word in other fields

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

• anaphylaxis · Medicine
• anaphylaxis · Emergency Medicine & First Aid

More terms: Side Effects and Interactions

• side effect
• drug interaction
• contraindication
• overdose
• toxicity
• polypharmacy
• dependence