Anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is an acute, severe general reaction of the immune system (immediate allergic reaction) with symptoms in various organ systems (skin and mucosa, respiratory tract/respiratory system, cardiovascular system (cardiovascular system), gastrointestinal tract/gastrointestinal tract) to repeated exposure to an allergen and affects the entire organism. It is the most severe manifestation of a mast cell-dependent immediate reaction and can be lethal.
Classification according to ICD-10-GM:
- ICD-10-GM T78.0: Anaphylactic shock due to food intolerance.
- ICD-10-GM T78.2: Anaphylactic shock, unspecified.
- ICD-10-GM T80.5: Anaphylactic shock due to serum.
- ICD-10-GM T88.6: Anaphylactic shock as an undesirable side effect of an indicated drug or medication when administered properly
Anaphylaxis is usually triggered by allergens through an IgE-mediated mechanism.
The most common triggers of anaphylaxis in children and adults are foods, insect venoms and drugs.
Frequency Peak: In childhood, more boys than girls experience anaphylactic shock. After puberty, the ratio is balanced.
Approximately 1% of patients in an emergency department of a maximum care hospital present for an anaphylactic reaction.
The lifetime prevalence (number of individuals who have suffered from a particular condition once in their lifetime at the time of investigation) in the population is reported to be 0.3-15% worldwide. In particular, food-induced anaphylaxis in childhood has increased.
The incidence (frequency of new cases) of anaphylaxis is 40-50 persons per 100,000 population per year in the United States. Berlin emergency physicians reported an incidence of anaphylaxis of 2-3 persons per 100,000 population.The incidence of anaphylactic shock is approximately 7 to 50 anaphylactic reactions per 100,000 population per year (USA, UK, Australia).
Course and prognosis: The course and prognosis depend on the severity of the anaphylaxis (see classification below: “Severity scale for the classification of anaphylactic reactions”).Anaphylactic shock represents a life-threatening condition that can be fatal if left untreated.
Deaths caused by anaphylaxis are expected to occur 1-3 per year per million population in Switzerland.
