anaphylactic shock
noun
Pathology.
a severe and sometimes fatal allergic reaction to a foreign substance, especially a protein, as serum or bee venom, to which an individual has become sensitized, often involving rapid swelling, acute respiratory distress, and collapse of circulation.
Origin of anaphylactic shock
First recorded in 1905–10
Words nearby anaphylactic shock
anaphoria,
anaphoric,
anaphrodisia,
anaphrodisiac,
anaphylactic antibody,
anaphylactic shock,
anaphylactogen,
anaphylactogenesis,
anaphylactoid,
anaphylactoid purpura,
anaphylactoid shock
British Dictionary definitions for anaphylactic shock
anaphylactic shock
noun
a severe, sometimes fatal, reaction to a substance to which a person has an extreme sensitivity, often involving respiratory difficulty and circulation failure
Medical definitions for anaphylactic shock
anaphylactic shock
n.
A severe, sometimes fatal allergic reaction characterized by a sharp drop in blood pressure, urticaria, and breathing difficulties that is caused by exposure to a foreign substance, such as a drug or bee venom, after preliminary or sensitizing exposure. The reaction may be fatal if emergency treatment, including epinephrine injections, is not given immediately.
anaphylaxis
Scientific definitions for anaphylactic shock
anaphylactic shock
[ ăn′ə-fə-lăk′tĭk ]
A sudden, life-threatening allergic reaction, characterized by dilation of blood vessels with a sharp drop in blood pressure and bronchial spasm with shortness of breath. Anaphylactic shock is caused by exposure to a foreign substance, such as a drug or bee venom, to which the individual has been previously exposed. The substances act as antigens, provoking a preliminary immune response during the first exposure that results in a full-blown, immediate response during secondary exposure, called an immediate hypersensitivity reaction. Emergency treatment, including epinephrine injections, must be administered to prevent death. Also called anaphylaxis