Study finds drugs responsible for most cases of anaphylactic shock

Most deadly allergic reactions caused by drugs, not food

It may be the single greatest danger you face when you pop a prescription drug — one that could end up killing you in a matter of minutes.

And there’s a good chance you’ve never been warned about it.

It seems like every time we hear a news report about anaphylactic shock — a severe allergic reaction that can turn deadly — it involves some food like peanut butter or shellfish.

But researchers recently discovered that nearly 60 percent of these deaths are being caused by prescription drugs — including some you might be taking right now.

And it’s never been more important to take a few simple precautions to make sure you or someone you love doesn’t become the next victim.

A fatal reactionNow with all your medical records at their fingertips — or just a couple of mouse clicks away — you’d think it would be impossible for a doctor to prescribe you something you’re allergic to.

But, unfortunately, it seems to happen all the time. And that’s something that the family of Susan Hammond learned the hard way.

Susan was a 61-year-old grandmother with a serious allergy to penicillin. In fact, it had once given her a life-threatening heart attack.

But when Susan was admitted to a hospital for a simple chest infection, her doctors missed all the warnings and gave her penicillin again. She went into shock and died shortly after.

And, as I said, tragic stories like Susan’s are happening a lot more than we’d like to imagine.

A study out of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that cases of “fatal drug-induced anaphylaxis” doubled over a 10-year period. We’re talking about people who were literally killed by deadly reactions to the drugs they’d been prescribed.

Now I’m guessing you won’t be surprised to learn that antibiotics are the drugs most likely to cause anaphylactic shock. It seems like we all know someone who had a bad allergic reaction to an antibiotic.

But it turns out the second most dangerous drugs are those handed out for imaging tests. And that should be a loud wake-up call to lots of docs and patients.

“We are using more imaging studies than other countries, and they’re potentially life-threatening” said lead author Dr. Elina Jerschow.

The problem is that many people don’t realize they’re allergic to iodine, barium, and other substances used in imaging tests until it’s too late.

Even worse, it’s very easy to write off the early warning signs of anaphylactic shock, because you may just confuse them with the symptoms of whatever illness you’re being treated for.

And that can be a deadly mistake, because when you’re dealing with anaphylactic shock, every moment counts. That’s why any time you’re taking a new drug — or are sent for imaging tests — you should let your doctor know right away if you experience:

Trouble breathing,
Hives or swelling,
Tightness in your throat,
Nausea or vomiting,
Dizziness, or
Rapid heartbeat.

If you’re allergic to any foods (especially shellfish), pollen, dust, or chemicals or are asthmatic, be sure to tell your doctor. That would make you much more likely to have an allergic reaction to any substance used in a test. He may want you to take skin tests first to check for an allergic response.

And the same applies before you start taking any new drug — especially an antibiotic. If you’re allergic to penicillin, for example, there’s a good chance that you’ll also be allergic to similar antibiotics like amoxicillin.

Sources:
“Medicines are biggest culprit in fatal allergic reactions: Study” Health Day, nlm.nih.gov