Allergic Potpouri

• Before giving an injection, say, "Here comes your....." Perhaps, although the patient has already been asked 50 times about medication allergies, when the medication is looming over their arm with something sharp a distantly recalled reaction will be recalled.
• Wait 30 minutes after an injection. Most anaphylactic reactions occur within 30 minutes of exposure.
• High risk latex patients include: health care workers, rubber industry employees, children with spina bifida or urogenital abnormalities.
• All patients with anaphylaxis to Hymenoptera need referral to A&I
• Epipen for all! Rx to patients with Hymenoptera allergy (who have not been densensitized), food allergic, latex allergic, idiopathic anaphylaxis, and exercise allergic patients)
• Epipen (www.epipen.com) and Twinject (www.twinjecttraining.com) for instruction on use of medication. Don't forget to instruct patient to use lateral thigh.
• Written action plan available at www.aaaai.org.
• Caution patients to keep Epipen, Twinject out of glove compartment. Heat destabilizes. Also check expiration dates frequently.
• Jewelry available at www.medicalert.org
• Avoid betablockade in patients with a history of anaphylaxis. ALS are contraindicated for patients on BBlockers (including eye drops).