Emergency management of anaphylaxis: current pharmacotherapy and future directions.

Anaphylaxis is an acute, life-threatening allergic emergency. Numerous studies have highlighted shortcomings in the emergency management of anaphylaxis, which is of considerable concern as sub-optimal immediate management increases the risk of poor outcomes. Death typically results from compromise of the cardiovascular and/or respiratory system and so emergency treatment should aim to restore blood pressure and relieve respiratory obstruction. This article provides insights on the recognition of anaphylaxis, summarises key clinically relevant insights from epidemiological investigations, and provides a state-of-the-art synopsis on the evidence-based emergency management of anaphylaxis.