Identifying Anaphylaxis As A Trigger

Do especially consider anaphylaxis when your cardiac arrest patient is young.

Anaphylaxis is likely when:

• Your patient has been exposed to a known allergen — is he or she wearing a Medic-Alert bracelet?
• The onset of life-threatening airway or breathing or circulatory problems (more typically a combination) has been sudden, with rapid progression — minutes, not hours
• Urticaria and/or angioedema are present look for skin changes. (although these may not be present or difficult to detect in up to 20%).

The original cardiac arrest rhythm is likely to be PEA, though there are of course many other causes of this rhythm.