Glossary
Allergy: A hypersensitivity of the body's immune system in response to exposure to specific substances (antigens), such as pollen, bee stings, poison ivy, drugs, or foods. Anaphylactic shock is a severe form of allergy response which is a medical emergency. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include dizziness, loss of consciousness, labored breathing, swelling of the tongue and breathing tubes, blueness of the skin, low blood pressure, and death.Anaphylaxis: Severe allergic response to a substance. Symptoms include wheezing, itching, nasal congestion, hives, immediate intense burning of hands and feet, collapse with a severe drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest. Symptoms of anaphylaxis appear within a few seconds or minutes after exposure to substance causing reaction this can be medication or herbs taken by injection, by mouth, vaginally, rectally, through a breathing apparatus or applied to skin. Anaphylaxis is an uncommon occurrence, but when it occurs, it is a SEVERE MEDICAL EMERGENCY! Without appropriate immediate treatment, it can cause death. Yell for help. Don't leave victim. Begin CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), mouth-to- mouth breathing and external cardiac massage. Have someone dial "0" or 911. Don't stop CPR until help arrives.
Adverse Effect: An unwanted side effect of treatment.
Hives (urticaria): Elevated patches on skin usually caused by an allergic reaction accompanied by a release of histamine into the body tissues. Patches are redder or paler than the surrounding skin and itch intensely.
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole: An antibiotic drug used to treat infection and prevent pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
Fulminant hepatic necrosis: Type of acute liver failure.
