Health
Experts work to better define anaphylaxis
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 28, 2005
Epinephrine is the universally accepted treatment for anaphylaxis, but the lack of a clearly defined set of symptoms that would help physicians arrive at the diagnosis is jeopardizing patients, according to a report published in this month's Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The paper, written by an expert panel convened by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, advocated that physicians improve their understanding of the condition and that medical facilities have an established anaphylaxis protocol. Patients with a history of anaphylaxis also should be educated on self-treatment.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/03/28/hlbf0328.htm.
