Anaphylaxis Demographics

Anaphylaxis Demographics

The exact number of cases of anaphylaxis in the United States each year is unknown, partly because some doctors use the term to refer to relatively mild allergic reactions while others use it to describe only those severe enough to be considered life-threatening. About 30,000 people are taken to hospital emergency rooms with an anaphylactic reaction in an average year. A commonly cited statistic is that about 15 percent of the general population is at risk of anaphylaxis, with one percent of the population at specific risk of anaphylaxis caused by medications and another one percent allergic to latex. It is estimated that there are between 500 and 1,000 deaths from anaphylaxis each year in the United States; fifty of these deaths are caused by insect stings. People of all races, both sexes, and all age groups are equally at risk of anaphylaxis. Elderly people, however, are more likely

First Aid for Anaphylaxis

There are several steps that friends or bystanders can take if they see someone having an episode of anaphylaxis:

• Call 911 at once for emergency help.

• Check the person to see whether he or she is carrying an EpiPen or similar device for emergency treatment of anaphylaxis. If so, administer the medicine at once.

• Have the person lie flat on his or her back and raise the feet above heart level.

• Try to keep the person calm, as moving unnecessarily or getting panicky can make the anaphylactic reaction worse.

• Cover the person with a blanket to keep warm but do not give him or her anything to drink.

• If the person is vomiting or bleeding from the mouth, gently turn him or her on one side to prevent choking.

• If possible, find out what triggered the reaction and tell the emergency helpers when they arrive.

than younger people to die from anaphylaxis because they often suffer from other diseases or medical conditions. Research conducted at Har- vard in 2007 suggests that there may be geographical differences in the rates of anaphylaxis in the United States, with a higher proportion of cases in the Northeast and lower rates in the West and South. The researchers are not certain of the reasons for these differences, however.