One of the great figures of French cinema has passed away. Michel Blanc, 72, died Thursday evening after a heart attack. He suffered anaphylactic shock, according to our information, the most severe form of the allergy.
It was during a medical examination that the unforgettable interpreter of Jean-Claude Dusse, in “Les Bronzés”, had a violent reaction to a foreign substance introduced into his body. The actor then suffered a heart attack and died in the evening in a Parisian hospital.
What are the symptoms of anaphylactic shock?
Anaphylactic shock is the most severe and most spectacular form of allergy. Contact with an allergen triggers various symptoms in the following few minutes: discomfort, even syncope, an asthma attack, intense abdominal pain, vomiting, angioedema, diffuse urticaria and heart rhythm disturbances.
All of these symptoms are due to inappropriate activation of immune system cells. “Adults are four times more affected than children,” said Inserm in 2016, adding that anaphylactic shock had become more frequent over the last thirty years.
What allergens are involved?
Milk, egg, sesame, shellfish, fish, peanuts or kiwi… Food allergies are the primary cause of anaphylactic shock. “Any food protein is a potential allergen,” recalls Inserm.
Then come the venoms of bees, wasps and hornets, which are responsible for several deaths each year in France, and medications also likely to cause a serious allergic reaction. “Anti-inflammatories, aspirins, beta-blockers, antibiotics and anesthetic products are most often involved,” the Institute further emphasizes.
Latex is the fourth allergen most frequently associated with anaphylactic shock, especially among sensitized people who are regularly exposed to it.
How to react?
Anaphylactic shock is an absolute medical emergency which requires calling emergency services (15, 18 or 112). Emergency treatment is necessary when symptoms appear, namely an intramuscular injection of adrenaline. This substance increases heart rate and blood pressure, in addition to dilating the bronchi.
“Patients at risk have often already suffered a less severe shock,” explains Health Insurance. Generally, they know how to act in the event of symptoms and keep emergency treatment with them (dose of self-injectable adrenaline). » We do not know if Michel Blanc, who called himself a hypochondriac and assiduously visited doctors, had previously been a victim of anaphylaxis.
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