To mark World Allergy Week, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has highlighted new guidance on the best course of action to take during anaphylaxis, including advice on how to use EpiPens.
More than one in five people suffer from at least one allergy in the UK making adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), like EpiPens or Jext products, essential.
According to NHS data, allergy and anaphylaxis-related hospital admissions have increased by over 100% in the last two decades, with figures now standing at nearly 30,000 annually.
To combat this, the new government has launched a new awareness campaign, including outlining the correct way of using AAIs in a video below.
How people should react in an anaphylaxis emergency
Firstly, people should use their AAIs immediately if they notice any signs of anaphylaxis – this includes a swollen throat or tongue, tiredness and confusion, breathing difficulties, and dizziness.
Government guidelines say that next people should phone 999 and say “anaphylaxis” before lying flat on your back and raising your legs to promote blood flow to the heart and other organs. If you’re pregnant, the MHRA say you should lie on your left side.
People should stay laid down and use their second AAI after five minutes if you haven’t improved after five minutes.
MHRA’s deputy director of population health, Julian Beach, described AAIs as “an important and potentially life-saving healthcare product” before highlighting the crucial nature of knowing what to do in an emergency.
“Knowing how to use AAIs and what to do in an emergency is vital and so I encourage everyone to review the latest guidance and download these materials so they can be prepared.”
Chief executive of Anaphylaxis UK, Simon Williams, added: “We hope that by collaborating with the MHRA and allergy awareness advocates, we can raise awareness for people with and without allergies, so everyone knows what to do during anaphylaxis.”
Image credit: iStock
