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Table 2 Premedication used in antivenom treatment

From: Antivenom therapy: efficacy of premedication for the prevention of adverse reactions

Drug

Possible adverse reaction

Mechanism Involved

Clinical trial efficacy

Adrenaline

Anaphylactic

Non IgE anaphylactic

Strong actions that directly oppose the effects triggered by mast cell and basophil activation.

Vasoconstrictor and cardiac stimulant.

Yes

Glucocorticoids

Anaphylactic

Non IgE anaphylactic

Serum sickness

Pyrogenic

Phospholipase A and cyclooxygenase inhibition.

Mast cell membrane stabilization.

General immunosuppressant effects

Noa

Antihistamines

Non IgE anaphylactic

Reduce or block the actions of histamine by reversible competitive binding to the H1 receptor

Noa

  1. aGlucocorticoids and antihistamines alone did not show efficacy but two trials show some efficacy using hydrocortisone together with an antihistamine
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Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases

ISSN: 1678-9199

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