Things You'll Need:
- Doctor or emergency healthcare team
- Medical history of patient
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Step 1
Diagnose anaphylactic shock by quickly reviewing the patient's medical history, and going over the events that led up to the attack. A doctor or emergency health care team will need to know what types of food were consumed prior to the onset of anaphylactic shock, or whether an insect bite or sting occurred. Being aware of prior instances of anaphylactic shock, and knowing what types of allergens could trigger an attack, are extremely important tools that are needed for a quick and accurate diagnosis.
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Step 2
Describe the earliest symptoms of the attack to diagnose anaphylactic shock accurately, which often emerge within minutes of ingesting the allergen. These symptoms may include a tingling sensation in the mouth, a sudden difficulty in breathing and a drop in blood pressure. Victims of anaphylactic shock may also experience gastrointestinal distress within an hour, including abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.
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Step 3
Review the entire medical history of the patient once the condition has being stabilized by an emergency medical team. If the allergen can be identified through the history, treatment can be delivered more efficiently, especially since the medical team will know roughly how much time they have to treat respiratory and pulmonary distress based upon past instances of anaphylactic shock.
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Step 4
Rule out other medical conditions that can cause symptoms to occur that can be mistaken for anaphylactic shock. For instance, a severe asthma attack can closely resemble anaphylactic shock, but requires a completely different treatment protocol. This is where quick retrieval of a patient's medical history is vital to diagnose the condition.
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Step 5
Educate the patient on the causes of the anaphylactic shock, once it is determined. After anaphylactic shock, a patient will generally be kept in the hospital for 1 to 2 days for both stabilization and education.
