anaphylactic shock

noun

Definition of anaphylactic shock

: an often severe and sometimes fatal systemic reaction in a susceptible individual upon exposure to a specific antigen (such as wasp venom or penicillin) after previous sensitization that is characterized especially by respiratory symptoms, fainting, itching, and hives

Examples of anaphylactic shock in a Sentence

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Most importantly, watch for signs of anaphylactic shock, like difficulty swallowing or breathing and dizziness or fainting. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "This Is the Only Thing You Should Do If a Bee Stings You," 6 June 2017 But some people also have a severe allergic reaction, including anaphylactic shock, that can be fatal. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Top 5 Wisconsin wildlife risks to humans? Maybe not what you think.," 13 June 2018 The wedding coordinator goes into anaphylactic shock due to a food allergy, and Glasses knocks the wedding cake over. — refinery29.com, "Grey's Anatomy Season 14, Episode 24 Recap: "All Of Me"," 18 May 2018 EpiPens are common auto-injectors typically used to counter allergic reactions to certain foods, such as nuts, bee or insect stings, or anaphylactic shock, a potentially life-threatening reaction to a foreign substance. — Kevin Mccoy, USA TODAY, "U.S. consumers face some EpiPen shortages, Food and Drug Administration says," 10 May 2018 But imagine an EpiPen, which keeps people from going into anaphylactic shock, not working. — Bunny Wong, Woman's Day, "10 Expert Tips for Cleaning Out Your Medicine Cabinet," 29 Dec. 2015 Some law enforcement officials surmised that Richardson, who suffered from bipolar disorder, walked into the canyon, took off her clothes and succumbed to anaphylactic shock from extensive poison oak exposure. — Alexander Nazaryan, Newsweek, "Lie and Deny: Secrecy and Suspicion Surround the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department," 21 Apr. 2016 So fingers crossed the only thing inaccurate about these findings is the price, because nobody should have to go bankrupt trying to prevent anaphylactic shock. — Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "The First-Ever Pill for Peanut Allergies Is Coming," 21 Feb. 2018 Tom has to inject himself with his EpiPen, goes into anaphylactic shock, and then collapses. — Jackie Frere, Redbook, "Parents Are Not Happy About an Offensive Scene in Peter Rabbit," 12 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anaphylactic shock.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of anaphylactic shock was in 1909

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anaphylactic shock

noun

Medical Definition of anaphylactic shock

: an often severe and sometimes fatal systemic reaction in a susceptible individual upon a second exposure to a specific antigen (as wasp venom or penicillin) after previous sensitization that is characterized especially by respiratory symptoms, fainting, itching, and hives