Chlorhexidine allergy: Mild allergic reactions can precede anaphylaxis in the healthcare setting

TY - JOUR

T1 - Chlorhexidine allergy

T2 - Mild allergic reactions can precede anaphylaxis in the healthcare setting

AU - Opstrup, Morten Schjørring

AU - Garvey, Lene Heise

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Chlorhexidine can cause severe immediate-type allergic reactions such as urticaria, anaphylactic shock or, even, cardiac arrest. We report the case of a patient who developed perioperative anaphylactic shock caused by chlorhexidine 1 year after a postoperative urticarial reaction, which was assumed not to be significant at the time. This case highlights the importance of identifying mild allergy symptoms after exposure to chlorhexidine at the pre-anaesthetic assessment to prevent more severe allergic reactions in future.

AB - Chlorhexidine can cause severe immediate-type allergic reactions such as urticaria, anaphylactic shock or, even, cardiac arrest. We report the case of a patient who developed perioperative anaphylactic shock caused by chlorhexidine 1 year after a postoperative urticarial reaction, which was assumed not to be significant at the time. This case highlights the importance of identifying mild allergy symptoms after exposure to chlorhexidine at the pre-anaesthetic assessment to prevent more severe allergic reactions in future.

KW - Allergy

KW - Anaphylaxis

KW - Chlorhexidine

KW - Drug allergy

KW - Perioperative

U2 - 10.5152/tjar.2019.22058

DO - 10.5152/tjar.2019.22058

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31380516

AN - SCOPUS:85062954426

SN - 2667-677X

VL - 47

SP - 342

EP - 344

JO - Turkish Journal of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation

JF - Turkish Journal of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation

IS - 4

ER -