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.

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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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.