Beyond the Needle: Promoting Prompt Anaphylaxis Treatment

A panelist discusses how anaphylaxis should be defined and treated promptly with epinephrine, highlighting the concerning statistic that not all patients who experience anaphylaxis receive this critical first-line treatment.

A panelist discusses how epinephrine is definitively the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis regardless of severity, emphasizing that delayed administration is associated with poor outcomes including abnormal vital signs and increased risk of hospitalization.

A panelist discusses how patient uncertainty about when to administer epinephrine and reluctance to use autoinjectors are major barriers to timely treatment, with over 40% not filling their prescriptions and 55-60% not consistently carrying their devices.

A panelist discusses how current guidance has evolved to no longer require emergency department visits for all epinephrine uses, particularly when patients experience prompt and complete resolution of symptoms after administration.

A panelist discusses how the newly FDA-approved intranasal epinephrine (Neffy) delivers blood concentrations and physiological responses comparable or superior to traditional intramuscular epinephrine administration methods.

A panelist discusses how the current anaphylaxis grading system classifies reactions from zero (no reaction) to four (death), with grade two representing moderate but significantly uncomfortable symptoms affecting multiple body systems.

A panelist discusses how Neffy offers significant advantages over traditional autoinjectors including longer shelf life (24-30 months), better temperature tolerance, and needle-free administration that addresses several unmet needs in anaphylaxis management.

A panelist discusses how real-world cases demonstrate both the effectiveness of epinephrine when properly administered and the importance of ensuring patients actually carry their medication, through the stories of a college student with cashew allergy and a child undergoing a peanut challenge.

A panelist discusses how education about anaphylaxis recognition, early epinephrine administration, and addressing barriers like device portability remains crucial, with intranasal epinephrine potentially solving many existing challenges in anaphylaxis management.