There has been a rapid increase in the occurrence of allergies due to the steep industrial revolution. When discussing the allergies` epidemiology, it is important to mention three types of allergies: drug allergies, allergic rhinitis, and food allergies. Allergic rhinitis, which affects up to thirty percent of the global population, is generated when immunoglobulin E antibodies synthesized by the immune system affect immune cells leading to allergic reactions. Drug allergies affect ten percent of the population and are caused by adverse reactions to specific drugs. On the other hand, food allergies, which affect about eight percent of the population, are IgE-mediated food sensitivities or dietary intakes (Warren et al., 2020). The most prevalent food allergy is the peanut trailed closely by milk and eggs.

I have two treatment options for the 35-year old allergic patient, but only one is more suitable considering pharmacoeconomics. These two treatment options are Specific Immunotherapy (SIT) and Current Symptomatic Treatments (CST). In contrast to CST, SIT is a cost-effective treatment because it efficiently alleviates mast cell recruitment in majorly affected regions and halts histamine discharge (Eguiluz-Gracia et al., 2019). First-generation antihistamines impede both the receptors of muscarinic and histaminic receptors while transitioning beyond the blood-brain barrier. Conversely, second-generation antihistamines hinder histaminic receptors and fail to exceed the blood-brain wall. It is advantageous to use second-generation antihistamines over first-generation ones because of their lipophobic nature.

The most basic education to provide to the patient concerning his allergic conditions is advising him to avoid the allergy triggers. His allergic trigger seems to be cold weather, and the best recommendation is for him always to keep warm. He can also sign up for allergy shots to reduce the symptoms by making the immune system less sensitive. I can also offer education to the patient on the importance of carrying a medical card wherever he goes. The card has important information regarding his allergic condition, which may help when faced with emergency medical complications.

References

Eguiluz-Gracia, I., Pérez-Sánchez, N., Bogas, G., Campo, P., & Rondón, C. (2019). How to diagnose and treat local allergic rhinitis: a challenge for clinicians. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(7), 1062.

Warren, C. M., Jiang, J., & Gupta, R. S. (2020). Epidemiology and burden of food allergy. Current allergy and asthma reports, 20(2), 1-9.