There are soooooo many goodies to share from Dr. Castells' new book.  Some important statistics from the introduction...

In the US, as of 2007:

- 10% of all emergency room visits were due to anaphylaxis

- Only 19% of those patients received epinephrine (by far the quickest and most effective treatment for anaphylaxis)

- At discharge, only 43% were properly diagnosed with anaphylaxis (makes you wonder what the rest of the diagnoses were!)

- In surveying people who died of "unknown causes," 20% were found to have elevated tryptase levels, which indicates that "anaphylaxis was the likely cause of death"

- In a study of 27 patients who had experienced severe anaphylaxis (marked by loss of blood pressure and cardiovascular collapse), 30% did not have any external symptoms (hives, flushing, angioedema)

What this reinforces to me is just how critical it is to wear a medical ID bracelet, carry my own EpiPens everywhere I go, and maintain an up-to-date emergency binder tailored to my individual needs.  In fact, I'm going to add a chapter or two from this book.  I wish I could afford to give a copy to all my doctors!  

Heather  

Academic publishing is a very complicated issue.  (I know first-hand... I've published many times).  There is a movement to make more of these books and articles publicly available for free on the Internet.  However... I don't expect it to happen quickly due to issues such as technology, financing to maintain websites, copyright protections, peer review, how things "count" for tenure, etc....  I guarantee that Dr. Castells (and her co-authors) are not making any money off this book!!  They would probably prefer to have it available for free so doctors and patients can really take advantage of the information... but that's just not how it works in the academic world right now.  Europe is ahead of the US on this issue.

Heather

Yes, and the really scary thing is that many of the worst attacks (which unfold very quickly and end with cardiovascular collapse) are actually the LEAST likely to show on the skin.  The ER docs could think you're having a heart attack instead of anaphylaxis.  It is soooooo important to wear to wear a medical ID bracelet.

Heather

Hmmm... I don't think so.  It takes several years to publish a book.  The draft was probably finished before we even took that survey

I'm thinking of going to TMS this fall... maybe they'll finally be able to talk about it there???

Heather

YIKES!!!!!   What an awful testimony of horrendous incapacity to deal with and recognize an emergency situation!!!!     This should be reported to the AUTHORITIES!!!!!