What is anaphylaxis? why is it such a big deal?

You can die.: Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction affecting many organs at once. Most serious is swelling shutting off movement of air through the windpipe & leakage of plasma out of the bloodstream leading to catastrophic loss of blood pressure, shock & heart stoppage. Death occurs in 1% of all episodes of anaphylaxis. Its victims are often children and young adults in the prime of life.

Death: Anaphylaxis is a true medical emergency that if left untreated, and sometimes if treated appropriately, can lead to the death of the patient in the most severe cases.

Death from allergy: Anaphylaxis = medical emergency in which your immune system responds too vigorously to an allergen. Allergen could be ingested, injected, breathed in or in severe cases just contact skin. Vigorous response causes variety of symptoms including marked swelling, constriction of airways, dilation of peripheral vessels, itching. Result is inability to breathe and pump blood - very bad very quickly.