Health Advantage | summer 2007

Act Fast: Allergic Reactions and MedicAlert®

Be Prepared To Deal With Severe Allergic Reactions

A severe allergic reaction may cause shock or difficulty breathing. You may notice swelling of the lips, throat, or tongue, or wheezing as in an asthma attack.
Allergic reactions can happen without warning. “If you’re with someone who is having a major allergic reaction, the first thing you need to do is call for immediate medical help,” says Barry Nemon, MD, Emergency Medicine Physician at Chelsea Community Hospital. “We regularly see these cases in the ER, and we know that time is precious when this occurs.”

A severe allergic reaction may cause shock and presents as either difficulty breathing or low blood pressure, causing the victim to become lightheaded or faint. You may notice swelling of the lips, throat, or tongue, or wheezing as in an asthma attack.

The standard emergency treatment for these major allergic reactions is injection of epinephrine. This can be administered through an auto-injection device called an EpiPen®.

An EpiPen must be prescribed by a doctor. “Chances are, if the patient is aware of a severe allergy, they carry a syringe of epinephrine with them,” Dr. Nemon says. “Even if the injection is given, the patient still needs to get to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.”

MedicAlert®

Another life-saving device used during medical emergencies is a simple metal tag, worn as a bracelet or necklace, known as a MedicAlert® emblem.

“MedicAlert emblems can be life-saving when a person cannot tell you what they need,” Dr. Nemon says. “It’s a way to make sure a person gets the proper medical care if he or she cannot speak for themselves.”

Paramedics are trained to look for the MedicAlert tag. It tells them a patient’s personal ID number and medical condition.

It also gives the phone number of a 24-hour emergency response center. This center can send information from the patient’s medical file, such as:

  • Other medical conditions the patient may have
  • Any medications the patient may be taking
  • Allergies
  • Implants
  • Insurance
  • Emergency or family contacts

For more information about MedicAlert and EpiPens, please contact ChelseaCare Pharmacy at 734-475-3996.

MedicAlert is a registered trademark of the MedicAlert Foundation International.

EpiPen is a registered trademark of Dey, L.P.