Watch above: The number of people visiting ER’s for allergic reactions and anaphylayxis is up across the country, according to CIHI. As Meaghan Craig reports, the number of visits for anaphylaxis is up nearly ten-fold.
SASKATOON – New evidence shows trips to the emergency department (ED) for the most severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions are on the rise. While the number of visits to Canadian EDs has remained stable, the number of visits for anaphylaxis is up nearly ten-fold.
That’s according to the latest report on anaphylaxis and allergy in the ED released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) Thursday.
“The rates of emergency department visits for anaphylaxis specifically have gone up 95 per cent in the last seven years,” said Michelle Martin-Rhee, CIHI program lead for health reports.
Of all ED visits every year about one per cent is because of an allergic reaction.
Although complete data was not available for Saskatchewan, data from five facilities in Regina and Saskatoon indicated that Saskatchewan is aligned with the rest of the country at one per cent.
In 2013-2014, this represented more than 85,000 visits to the emergency department in Ontario and Alberta alone. CIHI estimates for the entire country that number would climb to 171,000 visits every year.
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READ MORE: ‘It was terrifying’: ER visits for anaphylaxis up 95% in 7 years
Data for the report was streamlined into three age categories and according to CIHI officials, the majority of patients visiting EDs were ages 18 to 64 years old.
“For the anaphylactic reactions specifically the number one cause was peanuts followed by tree nuts and seeds,” added Martin-Rhee.
These types of reactions can take only seconds or minutes and involve two or more body systems such as a skin reaction and cardiovascular reaction.
“It would be that feeling of your throat closing, shortness of breathe, wheezing,” said Graham Blue, director of emergency services for the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR).
Up to 30 per cent of the population has some kind of allergy. According to CIHI, of the data captured, it is unclear if the person knew they had an allergy prior to visiting the ED. Visits to EDs for allergic reactions for all causes including insect stings and snake bites are the highest in the summer and food-related allergies increase in December.
The use of EpiPens has risen by 64 per cent and experts say a surge in emergency department visits isn’t automatically a bad thing.
“It could be due to the fact that more people are aware of what the symptoms and signs of anaphylaxis are and are more willing to seek treatment,” said Martin-Rhee.
Experts also want to underscore that anaphylactic reactions only represent eight per cent of allergic reactions, they are rare but can be very serious.
“When people feel they’re experiencing an emergency we want to see them, we’re the people that should be providing the care,” added Blue.
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