Intended for healthcare professionals

News

Antibiotics are the main cause of life threatening allergic reactions during surgery

BMJ 2018; 361 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2124 (Published 13 May 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;361:k2124
  1. Ingrid Torjesen
  1. London, UK

Antibiotics are the most frequent, and a growing, cause of life threatening anaphylaxis in the operating theatre, the largest prospective audit of anaphylaxis related to anaesthesia and surgery has found.1

The findings of the 6th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (NAP6) contrast with those of previous studies which found the main culprit to be muscle relaxants.

Details of all cases of life threatening anaphylaxis that occurred in NHS hospitals during one year (5 November 2015 to 5 November 2016) were collected for the audit and 48% of the 266 cases …

View Full Text

Log in

Log in through your institution

Subscribe

* For online subscription