How-to | Severe Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis) onboard

Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur rapidly. It affects multiple systems in the body, such as the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Common triggers include certain foods, insect stings, medications, and latex. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing, swelling, hives, a rapid pulse, and dizziness. Immediate treatment with epinephrine is critical.

1. Identify the Signs: Common symptoms include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, hives, a rapid pulse, and dizziness.
2. Administer Epinephrine: If ship’s medical chest has an epinephrine auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen/AnaPen), use it immediately. Inject it into the outer thigh and hold it in place for about 10 seconds. If not, wait from advice from your telemedicine provider on how to administer epinephrine.
3. Call for Help: Alert any medical professionals on board & call your telemedicine provider.

H.R.C. M.A.C. Phone H.R.C. M.A.C. Phone

4. Lie the Person Down: Have the person lie down with their legs elevated unless this makes breathing more difficult or they are vomiting.
5. Monitor the Person: Stay with the person and monitor their condition. Be prepared to administer a second dose of epinephrine if symptoms do not improve within 5 to 15 minutes.
6. Seek Medical Attention: Ensure that the person receives medical attention as soon as possible, even if symptoms appear to improve after administering epinephrine.
7. Provide Information: Share any relevant medical history and information about the allergic reaction with medical personnel when they arrive.
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One reason the medical officer onboard shouldn’t give any medicines without advice from a doctor on shore is that we usually don’t have the patient's medical history or known allergies (apart from the pre-embarkation checkup). Even administering basic antibiotics should be done after a doctor's advice and recorded in the medical log.

Administering epinephrine with EpiPen/AnaPen

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