The most commonly documented causes of anaphylaxis are:
Food
Medications
Insect venom
Latex
Exercise
In situations where a specific trigger remains unidentified, the patient is said to suffer from idiopathic anaphylaxis.
To learn more about common triggers that cause allergic reactions, please review the material found in food, medication, insect venom, or latex allergies.
Although comprehensive information is not available, the best estimates indicate that as many as 40.9 million people in the United States12 suffer from severe allergies that may put them at risk for anaphylaxis?and the numbers are growing.1-10 This growth has been attributed to the increased exposure to allergens such as latex, peanuts, and insects, particularly fire ants. Moreover, researchers are uncovering a large incidence of anaphylactic drug reactions that have gone unnoticed or were poorly documented in the past.11
Symptoms
The most distinctive symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
Hives
Swelling of the throat, lips, tongue, or around the eyes
Difficulty breathing or swallowing
Other common symptoms of anaphylaxis may include:
A metallic taste or itching in the mouth
Generalized flushing, itching, or redness of the skin
