The UK Resuscitation Council recommends the use of intravenous antihistamines as second line treatment in the initial management of anaphylaxis, and suggests considering a 3 day course of oral antihistamines on discharge to reduce the chance of a recurrence.
Although H1-antihistamines have been shown to be effective in the symptomatic treatment of some localised and less severe allergic reactions (e.g. allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis and urticaria), there is no published evidence to suggest that they reduce the risk of a further reaction in patients with anaphylaxis
Corticosteroids
The UK Resuscitation Council recommends the use of intravenous corticosteroids as an adjunct to adrenaline and antihistamine therapy after initial resuscitation, to prevent or shorten protracted anaphylactic reactions
recommends considering a 3 day course of oral corticosteroids on discharge to treat urticaria and reduce the chance of a recurrence.
References:
Guideline for the Management of Acute Allergic Reaction. The College of Emergency Medicine, 2009
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