A patient stung by a wasp is unresponsive with stridor, hypotension, and wheezing. What type of allergic reaction is evident?

The symptoms presented in this scenario—unresponsiveness, stridor, hypotension, and wheezing—indicate a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is characterized by a rapid onset of symptoms that can affect multiple body systems, most notably the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

Stridor suggests upper airway obstruction, which can occur due to swelling in the airway as a result of allergic reactions. Wheezing indicates bronchospasm, which is often associated with difficulty breathing seen in cases of anaphylaxis. Hypotension points to the possibility of shock caused by the systemic release of histamines and other mediators that lead to vasodilation and fluid leakage from blood vessels.

The combination of these signs—particularly the airway distress (stridor), breathing difficulty (wheezing), altered mental status (unresponsive), and hypotension—strongly suggest that the body is undergoing anaphylactic shock, which requires immediate medical intervention. In contrast, mild allergic reactions typically present with localized symptoms and do not include systemic responses like those observed here.