What should you know about als anaphylaxis?

Here, ALS is used in the emergency-care sense of advanced life support. Anaphylaxis can worsen quickly, so a suspected reaction should be treated as an emergency rather than watched at home.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction involving breathing or circulation, often with rapid onset after exposure to a trigger. Features can include throat or tongue swelling, hoarse voice, noisy breathing, wheezing, persistent cough, dizziness, collapse or marked drowsiness. Hives, flushing, abdominal pain or vomiting may occur, but a skin rash does not have to be present.

Food, medicines and insect stings are among possible triggers. The urgency comes from airway, breathing or circulation problems, not from whether the trigger is common or whether the skin looks affected.

Use the person's prescribed adrenaline auto-injector in the outer mid-thigh as soon as anaphylaxis is suspected, following the device instructions, and call UAE emergency services. If symptoms persist and another prescribed device is available, follow the person's emergency plan or the emergency call handler's instructions about a further dose.

Keep the person lying flat with legs raised if tolerated. If breathing is difficult, they may sit with legs extended; if unconscious but breathing, place them on their side. A pregnant person should lie on the left side. Avoid sudden standing or walking, remove the trigger only when this can be done safely, and start CPR if normal breathing stops. Antihistamines do not replace adrenaline for airway, breathing or circulation symptoms.

Call emergency services immediately for throat tightness, tongue swelling, breathing difficulty, wheezing with sudden allergic symptoms, faintness, collapse or a rapidly worsening reaction. Give adrenaline first when it is available; do not delay it while searching for an antihistamine.

Emergency assessment is still needed when symptoms improve after adrenaline because they can return and further treatment or observation may be required. Bring the used auto-injector and tell the team what triggered the reaction, when symptoms began and when adrenaline was given.

After recovery, ask which trigger is suspected, whether allergy assessment is appropriate, how to avoid accidental exposure and which symptoms should prompt adrenaline. Request hands-on practice with your auto-injector, check how it should be stored, and make sure family, school or workplace contacts understand your written emergency plan.