How to treat Anaphylaxis?
Treating anaphylaxis involves prompt and decisive action to alleviate symptoms, stabilize the individual, and prevent further complications. Here's a step-by-step guide to treating anaphylaxis:
- Call for Emergency Medical Help: Dial emergency services immediately (e.g., 911) if someone is experiencing anaphylaxis. Time is critical in treating this severe allergic reaction.
- Lay the Person Down: Help the person lie down on their back. If they are having difficulty breathing or are feeling faint, raise their legs to improve blood flow to the heart and brain.
- Administer Epinephrine: If the person has been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector (such as an EpiPen), use it promptly according to the instructions provided. Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis and works rapidly to reverse severe allergic reactions.
- Provide Additional First Aid Measures: Check the person's pulse, breathing, and level of consciousness regularly while waiting for emergency medical help to arrive. Be prepared to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if necessary.
- Transport to Medical Facility: Once emergency medical help arrives, the person should be transported to a medical facility for further evaluation and treatment. Even if symptoms improve after administering epinephrine, it's essential to seek professional medical care to prevent a potential recurrence of anaphylaxis.
1. Call for Emergency Medical Help
Dial emergency services immediately (911) if someone is experiencing anaphylaxis. Time is critical in treating severe anaphylaxis. Prompt medical assistance ensures access to advanced medical interventions and monitoring, which is vital in managing anaphylaxis effectively.
2. Lay the Person Down
Help the person lie down on their back. If they are having difficulty breathing or are feeling faint, raise their legs to improve blood flow to the heart and brain. Positioning the person supine with elevated legs helps optimize circulation and prevent complications associated with decreased blood flow to vital organs.
3. Administer Epinephrine
If the person has been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector (such as an EpiPen), use it promptly according to the instructions. Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis and works rapidly to reverse severe allergic reactions. The auto-injector delivers a precise dose of epinephrine into the muscle, counteracting the effects of anaphylaxis by constricting blood vessels, relaxing airway muscles, and increasing heart rate and blood pressure.
When administered, epinephrine constricts blood vessels, which helps to reverse the dangerous drop in blood pressure associated with anaphylaxis, ensuring adequate blood flow to vital organs. Additionally, it relaxes the muscles around the airways, easing breathing difficulties and preventing respiratory failure. Epinephrine also stimulates the heart, increasing its rate and force of contraction, which helps to improve circulation and maintain organ function.
How to Use an Epinephrine Auto-injector?
Here is the Step-by-step Guide on how to use an Epinephrine Auto-Injector:
- Remove the Safety Cap: Hold the auto-injector firmly with one hand, and with the other hand, remove the safety cap from the injector. The safety cap typically covers the needle end of the device.
- Position the Injector: Hold the auto-injector in your dominant hand, with your thumb near the base and your fingers around the middle. Position the injector so that the needle end is facing downward.
- Apply to Thigh: Locate the outer thigh of the person experiencing anaphylaxis. Firmly press the injector against the outer thigh, at a right angle to the thigh, and push down until you hear or feel a click. The needle will penetrate the skin automatically.
- Hold in Place: Once the needle is deployed, hold the injector in place against the thigh for several seconds (usually around 10 seconds). This ensures that the full dose of epinephrine is delivered.
- Remove and Massage Injection Site: After administering the epinephrine, remove the auto-injector from the thigh and massage the injection site gently for a few seconds. This helps facilitate absorption of the medication into the bloodstream.
- Dispose of the Device: Safely dispose of the used auto-injector according to the manufacturer's instructions. Some devices come with a protective case for safe disposal, while others have built-in mechanisms for needle retraction.
When to Give a Second Dose?
If the person's symptoms persist or worsen after the initial dose of epinephrine, a second dose is administered after a few minutes. It's essential to closely monitor the person's response to treatment and be prepared to administer additional doses if needed. Factors to consider before giving a second dose of epinephrine include:
- Persistence or Progression of Symptoms: If the person's symptoms do not improve or worsen after the initial dose of epinephrine, a second dose may be warranted.
- Response Time: Epinephrine typically works rapidly, with effects often noticeable within minutes of administration. If there is no improvement in the person's condition within a few minutes of the first dose, a second dose is necessary.
- Medical Professional's Guidance: Follow the guidance of medical professionals, such as emergency responders or healthcare providers, regarding administering additional doses of epinephrine. They assess the situation and provide specific recommendations based on the person's condition and medical history.
It's crucial to act quickly and decisively in determining whether a second dose of epinephrine is necessary to manage anaphylaxis and prevent serious complications effectively. Always seek professional medical assistance when administering epinephrine and follow up with further medical evaluation and care as needed.
4. Additional First Aid Measures
Check the person's pulse, breathing, and level of consciousness regularly while waiting for emergency medical help to arrive. Depending on the individual's symptoms, additional treatments are necessary. For example, antihistamines help relieve itching and hives, while bronchodilators are used to alleviate breathing difficulties. Addressing accompanying symptoms improves the person's comfort and helps manage severe reactions.
CPR Considerations if Breathing Stops
If the person experiencing anaphylaxis stops breathing or breathing becomes inadequate, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be initiated immediately. CPR consists of chest compressions to circulate blood and rescue breaths to provide lung oxygen. Here's what to do:
- Assess Responsiveness: Check if the person is responsive by tapping their shoulders and asking loudly if they are okay. CPR should be started if there is no response, they are not breathing normally, or are only gasping.
- Call for Help: If alone, perform CPR for about 2 minutes before calling emergency services. If someone else is present, instruct them to contact emergency services while you start CPR.
- Perform Chest Compressions: Place the heel of one hand on the center of the person's chest (between the nipples). Place the other hand on top and interlock your fingers. Lean over the person and position your shoulders directly above your hands. Push down on the chest, compressing it by about 2 inches (5 centimeters), then release the pressure. Repeat at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
- Provide Rescue Breaths: After every 30 chest compressions, tilt the person's head back slightly and lift their chin to open the airway. Pinch the person's nose shut and give two rescue breaths, watching the chest rise with each breath.
- Continue CPR: Continue cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths until emergency medical help arrives or until the person shows signs of responsiveness and normal breathing.
5. Transport to Medical Facility
Once emergency medical help arrives, the person should be transported to a medical facility for further evaluation and treatment. Even if symptoms improve after administering epinephrine, it's essential to seek professional medical care to prevent a potential recurrence of anaphylaxis. Medical facilities are equipped to provide ongoing monitoring, additional treatments, and follow-up care to ensure the person's well-being and safety.