Drugs Cause Most Fatal Allergic Reactions, Study Finds

Using data from the National Center for Health Statistics, researchers found 2,458 cases of fatal anaphylaxis from 1999 through 2010. Almost 60 percent of the deaths, or 1,446, were caused by reactions to drugs, and in cases where the specific drug was known, half were caused by antibiotics. The rate of drug-induced fatal reactions almost doubled over the period. Insect stings caused 15.2 percent of the fatalities and food 6.7 percent. The cause was not recorded in a fifth of the cases. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/06/drugs-cause-most-fatal-allergic-reactions-study-finds/?_php=true&_type=blogs&ref=health&_r=0