Chlorhexidine: a hidden life-threatening allergen

Fernandes, Mara; Lourenço, Tatiana; Lopes, Anabela; Spínola Santos, Amélia; Pereira Santos, Maria Conceição; Pereira Barbosa, Manuel

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/33007

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Authors

Fernandes, Mara

Lourenço, Tatiana

Lopes, Anabela

Spínola Santos, Amélia

Pereira Santos, Maria Conceição

Pereira Barbosa, Manuel

Abstract(s)

Chlorhexidine is a commonly used antiseptic and disinfectant in the health-care setting. Anaphylaxis to chlorhexidine is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. Epidemiologic data suggest that the cases of chlorhexidine allergy appears to be increasing. In this article we report a life-threatening anaphylactic shock with cardiorespiratory arrest, during urethral catheterization due to chlorhexidine. The authors also performed a literature review of PubMed library of anaphylactic cases reports due to this antiseptic between 2014 and 2018, demonstrating the increase in the number of cases occurring worldwide and the importance of detailed anamnesis and appropriate diagnostic workup of allergic reactions to disinfectants.