Anaphylactic Shock: Introduction (Nursing)

00:01 Hi, I'm Professor Lawes. And in this video series, we're going to take a closer look at anaphylactic shock.

00:08 Now anaphylactic shock is one of the five major categories that we look at in this series.

00:13 We also have cardiogenic, hypovolemic, septic, and neurogenic.

00:19 Remember, that the term shock means that my body is not getting enough oxygen delivered to the tissues to meet my metabolic needs.

00:27 So the word in front of shock is what has caused that.

00:30 That's the underlying cause of why my tissues are not getting enough oxygen.

00:36 So let's look at how anaphylactic shock is a little different.

00:39 Anytime you're in shock, that's a life threatening experience.

00:43 Anaphylactic shock is a life threatening allergic reaction to whatever is your trigger.

00:49 Now, there's some pretty common ones.

00:51 But let's talk about what the etiology is of anaphylactic shock.

00:55 It's a Type I hypersensitivity reaction.

00:58 Now, I cannot underscore that word hypersensitivity reaction enough.

01:03 If you're ending up in anaphylactic shock, this is a really big deal. It's an abnormal immune response and it's triggered by your exposure to the specific antigens that freak out your body.

01:14 We call these allergens. So it's different for everyone.

01:18 Not everyone has allergies, but those who do who have this hypersensitivity reaction, it can lead to something that's life threatening.

01:27 Now, common allergens or triggers could be food.

01:30 Shellfish is a big one.

01:32 Certain drugs can cause an anaphylactic reaction, or even the venom of other critters.

01:37 So keep in mind, allergens can be anything that a person has a response to.

01:43 You may even have even noticed with small children.

01:46 You've seen an increase in peanut allergies.

01:49 That's also another example of a food allergy.

01:51 That's a Type I hypersensitivity reaction.