Week 5B - Anaphylactic Shock.doc - 1 Anaphylactic Shock...

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Anaphylactic Shock
Ravi Jain
Walden University
NURS-6501N-16
Dr. Catherine Carpenter
9/27/18

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Anaphylactic Shock
When dealing with anaphylactic shock, it can be a scary experience because of how
quickly the situation can worsen for the individual having the reaction. Anaphylaxis causes your
immune system to react to a trigger such as food, medication, or insect venom with an
accelerated allergic reaction by lowering blood pressure and narrowing the airways of the body,
creating difficulty breathing (Hammer & McPhee, 2014). The allergen causes a large production
of immunoglobulin antibodies which bind with the allergen which leads to mast cells invoking
an inflammatory response leading to edema, laryngospasm and bronchospasm (Huether &
McCance, 2017).
Emergency or Outpatient Care
Because of how uncertain the bodies response to anaphylactic shock is, any allergen that
elicits a good amount of inflammation and swelling is enough reason to go to the emergency
room. Other symptoms may occur, but in regard to swelling, there is no telling how quickly it