Bee Stings and Food and Drug Interactions

Rose HarmonCPR and First Aid

Bee Stings■ Bee stings can be very dangerous■ Reactions to bee stings are split

into two categories:◆ Local◆ Systematic

Bee Stings■ Local Reaction:

◆ Symptoms include pain, redness, itchiness and swelling

◆ A bacterial skin condition can also develop within 12-36 hours

Bee Stings■ Systematic Reaction:

◆ Allergic reaction◆ Symptoms include difficulty

breathing or speaking, swelling in the mouth and throat, a rash all over the body, faintness or decreased level of consciousness, nausea or vomiting

◆ Take emergency care immediately!

What to Do When Stung■ Local Reaction:

◆ Act quickly!◆ Get to a safe area as soon as

possible◆ Remove the stinger

What to Do When Stung■ Systematic Reaction:

◆ Act quickly!◆ Get to a safe area and remove the

stinger◆ Check for an EpiPen, and use it if

it’s available. If it is NOT available, call 911 immediately. Do NOT wait for symptoms to appear.

What to Do When Stung■ Systematic Reaction cont.:

◆ Antihistamines such as Benadryl can slow symptoms

◆ Generally bee stings aren’t dangerous, but they can be fatal so it is important to seek emergency medical care as soon as possible

Treat a Sting From Home■ Antihistamines

and calamine lotion will help with the itchiness

■ Pain will go away quickly, but swelling may last over a day

■ Using an ice pack will reduce swelling

Other Notes■ If the victim is stung more than 10

times or is stung in the mouth, nose or throat, call 911 immediately

Food/Drug Interactions■ A food/drug interaction occurs

when the medicine you are taking is affected by the food you are eating.

■ It can happen with both prescription medications and over the counter medications

Food/Drug Interactions■ The food may slow

the body’s absorption of the medicine or delay it’s effect

◆ This is why some medications are to be taken on an empty stomache

◆ Not all medicines are affected by food

Effects of Food/Drug Interaction

■ Effects may vary, but they can be very dangerous◆ Ex. Eating

licorice while taking Lanoxin can cause Lanoxin toxicity

How to Avoid a Food/Drug Interaction

■ Read the labels on prescription bottles

■ Be sure to understand warnings and side effects.◆ If anything is unclear, call your

doctor■ Ask your doctor if there are any

foods you should not eat with your medications

How to Avoid a Food/Drug Interaction

■ Follow the instructions your doctor gives you

■ Make sure all your doctors know what medications you are on

■ NEVER under any circumstances drink alcohol with your medication.

Comparisons

■ When doing my research, I didn’t find many similarities between bee stings and food/drug interactions. The side effects are different, the only similarity between the two being possible death. Also, serious side effects of food/drug interactions are not caused by the patient’s allergies like bee stings.

Works CitedBrouhard, Rod. "Bee Sting Treatment - How to Treat Bee Stings."

About.com First Aid - First Aid & Safety Tips for Emergencies or Everyday. 30 Sept. 2009. Web. 23 May 2010. <http://firstaid.about.com/od/heatcoldexposure/ht/07_bee_sting.htm>.

Conrad Stoppler, MD, Melissa. "Bee and Wasp Stings - When to Seek Medical Care on EMedicineHealth." EMedicineHealth - Experts in Everyday Emergencies, First Aid and Health Information. Web. 23 May 2010. <http://www.emedicinehealth.com/bee_and_wasp_stings/page3_em.htm#When to Seek Medical Care>.

Kelly, MD, MS, Robert B. "Drug-Food Interactions -- Familydoctor.org." Familydoctor.org Home -- Familydoctor.org. Dec. 2009. Web. 23 May 2010. <http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/seniors/seniors-meds/121.html>.

Ravel, MD, Daniel. "Bee And Insect Stings In Children. Information on Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Ants, Fire Ants, Wasps, Venom, Anaphylaxis, Anaphylactic Shock, and Epinephrine." The Medical Journal of Australia. 17 Aug. 2002. Web. 23 May 2010. <http://dentalresource.org/topic43stings.htm>.

United States of America. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Department of Health and Human Services. U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. Web. 23 May 2010. <http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm096386>.