AAFP helps members empower patients with food allergies

New at AAFP.org

To help members meet the challenges of diagnosing and managing patients’ food allergies—and keep up with the latest research on treatments—the Academy this month updated its Food Allergy Management and Prevention for Clinicians page with the latest clinical tools, prevention strategies and evidence-based care guidance.

Among the resources on that page is a new conversation guide to help family physicians

• work with patients to identify symptoms
• know what to ask patients when determining a food allergy
• talk about management strategies involving avoidance, epinephrine and newer medications that prevent anaphylaxis

New in FPM

The new FPM food allergy point-of-care tool, designed to help primary care practices improve outcomes for patients with food allergies, centers on Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reactions to foods—triggered when a patient’s immune system produces the antibody immunoglobulin.

This most common type of food allergy affects about 5.6 million children and 27 million adults in the U.S. The major food allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish, but more than 170 foods cause adverse reactions, which usually come on fast after ingestion.

Family physicians routinely see affected patients and are often their first point of contact. They treat symptoms such as hives, respiratory distress and gastrointestinal problems and deal with the greatest threat of IgE-mediated food allergies: the risk of potentially deadly anaphylaxis.

The FPM resources are designed to help family physicians gain confidence educating patients and their families about allergy management and counseling on how to handle food avoidance, read labels and develop strategies to prevent cross-contamination. The tools also offer clinical guidance on recognizing and responding to anaphylaxis symptoms.

New at FamilyDoctor.org

Family physicians can share this content with patients to help them learn about food allergies, prevent allergic reactions and understand medication options. The resources include

• a guide to food allergy management and prevention

• a guide to preventing anaphylaxis

• a guide to the symptoms of lactose intolerance

Patients can also access a video titled “Food Allergies: What You Need to Know.”