Abstract: Objective To study the patterns and characteristics of drug-induced allergic shock, and to provide reference for clinical prevention of severe drug allergic reactions. Methods A retrospective analysis method was used to process the reports of allergic shock collected by Chongqing Adverse Reaction Monitoring Center between 2015 and 2020. The basic information about patients, the time allergic shock occurred, drugs involved, routes of administration, outcomes and cases of death was statistically analyzed. Results The incidence of drug-induced allergic shock was higher in the elderly (≥ 60 years old). More than 75% of the cases experienced allergic shock within 30 min of administration. The proportion of allergic shock caused by intravenous drugs was the highest (85.56%). The top five categories of drugs that caused anaphylactic shock were anti-infective drugs (48.80%), traditional Chinese medicine injections (9.62%), nervous system drugs (8.37%), digestive system drugs (5.49%), vitamins, electrolytes, acid-base balance and nutritional drugs (4.43%). The top five drugs causing allergic shock were ceftriaxone, levofloxacin, penicillin, piperacillin/tazobactam and cefoperazone/sulbactam, all of which were antibacterial drugs. Conclusion A range of drugs can cause allergic shock that often occurs quickly. Clinical monitoring and management of intravenous medications should be improved, especially among the elderly. Antibiotics and traditional Chinese medicine injections should be used more rationally while adverse drug reactions have to be observed closely in order to detect allergic shock in time and take immediate measures to reduce the incidence of severe consequences of allergic shock.

Key words: allergic shock, drug-induced diseases, severe allergic reaction, adverse drug reactions, intravenous drugs, antibacterial drugs, ceftriaxone