anxiety reaction

reaction /re·ac·tion/ (-ak´shun)

1. opposite action, or counterreaction; the response to stimuli.

2. a phenomenon caused by the action of chemical agents; a chemical process in which one substance is transformed into another substance or other substances.

3. the mental and/or emotional state that develops in any particular situation.

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acrosome reaction  structural changes and liberation of acrosomal enzymes occurring in spermatozoa in the vicinity of an oocyte, facilitating entry into the oocyte.

alarm reaction  the physiologic effects (increase in blood pressure, cardiac output, blood flow to skeletal muscles, rate of glycolysis, and blood glucose concentration; decrease in blood flow to viscera) mediated by sympathetic nervous system discharge and release of adrenal medullary hormones in response to stress, fright, or rage.

allergic reaction  hypersensitivity r., sometimes specifically a type I hypersensitivity reaction.

anaphylactic reaction  anaphylaxis.

anaphylactoid reaction  one resembling generalized anaphylaxis but not caused by IgE-mediated allergic reaction.

antibody-mediated hypersensitivity reaction 

1. type II hypersensitivity r.; see Gell and Coombs classification, under classification.

2. occasionally, any hypersensitivity reaction in which antibodies are the primary mediators, i.e., types I–III.

antigen-antibody reaction  the reversible binding of antigen to homologous antibody by the formation of weak bonds between antigenic determinants on antigen molecules and antigen binding sites on immunoglobulin molecules.

anxiety reaction  a reaction characterized by abnormal apprehension or uneasiness; see also anxiety disorders, under disorder.

Arias-Stella reaction  nuclear and cellular hypertrophy of the endometrial epithelium, associated with ectopic pregnancy.

cell-mediated hypersensitivity reaction  type IV hypersensitivity r.; see Gell and Coombs classification, under classification.

conversion reaction  see under disorder.

cross reaction  the interaction of an antigen with an antibody formed against a different antigen with which the first antigen shares identical or closely related antigenic determinants.

cytotoxic hypersensitivity reaction  type II hypersensitivity r.; see Gell and Coombs classification, under classification.

defense reaction  see under mechanism.

delayed hypersensitivity reaction , delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction that taking 24 to 72 hours to develop and mediated by T lymphocytes rather than by antibodies; usually denoting the subset of type IV hypersensitivity reactions involving cytokine release and macrophage activation, as opposed to direct cytolysis, but sometimes used more broadly, even as a synonym for type IV hypersensitivity r. (see Gell and Coombs classification, under classification ).

reaction of degeneration  the reaction to electrical stimulation of muscles whose nerves have degenerated, consisting of loss of response to a faradic stimulation in a muscle, and to galvanic and faradic stimulation in the nerve.

foreign body reaction  a granulomatous inflammatory reaction evoked by the presence of exogenous material in the tissues, characterized by the formation of foreign body giant cells.

hemiopic pupillary reaction  in certain cases of hemianopia, light thrown upon one side of the retina causes the iris to contract, while light thrown upon the other side arouses no response.

Herxheimer's reaction  Jarisch-Herxheimer r.

hypersensitivity reaction  one in which the body mounts an exaggerated or inappropriate immune response to a substance perceived as foreign, resulting in local or general tissue damage. Such reactions are usually classified as types I–IV on the basis of the Gell and Coombs classification (q.v.).

id reaction  a secondary skin eruption occurring in sensitized patients as a result of circulation of allergenic products from a primary site of infection.

immediate hypersensitivity reaction 

1. type I hypersensitivity r.; see Gell and Coombs classification, under classification.

2. occasionally, any hypersensitivity reaction mediated by antibodies and developing rapidly, generally in minutes to hours (i.e., types I–III ), as distinguished from those mediated by T lymphocytes and macrophages and requiring days to develop (type IV, or delayed hypersensitivity r. ).

immune reaction  see under response.

immune complex–mediated hypersensitivity reaction  type III hypersensitivity r.; see Gell and Coombs classification, under classification.

Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction  a transient immunologic reaction following antibiotic treatment of early and later stages of syphilis and certain other diseases, marked by fever, chills, headache, myalgia, and exacerbation of cutaneous lesions; due to release of toxic or antigenic substances by the infecting microorganisms.

Jones-Mote reaction  a mild skin reaction of the delayed (type IV) hypersensitivity type occurring after challenge with protein antigens.

late phase reaction  an IgE-mediated immune reaction occurring 5 to 8 hours after exposure to antigen, after the wheal and flare reactions of immediate hypersensitivity have diminished, with inflammation peaking around 24 hours, and then subsiding.

lengthening reaction  reflex elongation of the extensor muscles which permits flexion of a limb.

leukemoid reaction  a peripheral blood picture resembling that of leukemia or indistinguishable from it on the basis of morphologic appearance alone; seen in certain infectious diseases, inflammatory conditions, and intoxications.

Neufeld's reaction  swelling of the capsules of pneumococci, seen under the microscope, on mixture with specific immune serum, owing to the binding of antibody with the capsular polysaccharide.

oxidation-reduction reaction  redox r.

Pirquet reaction  appearance of a papule with a red areola 24 to 48 hours after introduction of two small drops of Old tuberculin by slight scarification of the skin; a positive test indicates previous infection.

polymerase chain reaction  (PCR) a rapid technique for in vitro amplification of specific DNA or RNA sequences, allowing small quantities of short sequences to be analyzed without cloning.

precipitin reaction  the formation of an insoluble precipitate by reaction of antigen and antibody.

redox reaction  a reaction oxidizing one substrate while reducing another.

Schultz-Charlton reaction  disappearance of scarlet fever rash around the site of an injection of scarlet fever antitoxin.

serum reaction  seroreaction.

startle reaction  the various psychophysiological phenomena, including involuntary motor and autonomic reactions, evidenced by an individual in reaction to a sudden, unexpected stimulus, as a loud noise.

stress reaction  any physiological or psychological reaction to physical, mental, or emotional stress that disturbs the organism's homeostasis.

T cell–mediated hypersensitivity reaction  type IV hypersensitivity r.; see Gell and Coombs classification, under classification.

Weil-Felix reaction  agglutination by blood serum of typhus patients of a bacillus of the proteus group from the urine and feces.

Wernicke's reaction  hemiopic pupillary r.

wheal and erythema reaction , wheal and flare reaction a cutaneous sensitivity reaction to skin injury or administration of antigen, due to histamine production and marked by edematous elevation and erythematous flare.

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anxiety reaction

n.

A psychological state or experience involving the apprehension of danger, accompanied by a feeling of dread and such physical symptoms as restlessness and rapid heartbeat, occurring in the absence of any clearly identifiable fear stimulus. Also called anxiety state.

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anxiety reaction

Etymology: L, anxietas + re, agere, to act

a clinical characteristic in which anxiety is the predominant feature or is experienced by a person facing a dreaded situation to the extent that his or her functioning is impaired. The reaction may be expressed as an anxiety attack, a phobia, or a compulsion.

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anxiety [ang-zi´ĭ-te]

a multidimensional emotional state manifested as a somatic, experiential, and interpersonal phenomenon; a feeling of uneasiness, apprehension, or dread. These feelings may be accompanied by symptoms such as breathlessness, a choking sensation, palpitations, restlessness, muscular tension, tightness in the chest, giddiness, trembling, and flushing, which are produced by the action of the autonomic nervous system, especially the sympathetic part of it.

Anxiety may be rational, such as the anxiety about doing well in a new job, about one's own or someone else's illness, about passing an examination, or about moving to a new community. People also feel realistic anxiety about world dangers, such as the possibility of war, and about social and economic changes that may affect their livelihood or way of living. Most persons find healthy ways to deal with their normal quota of anxiety.

Nursing Diagnosis. Anxiety was accepted as a nursing diagnosis by the North America Nursing Diagnosis Association and defined as “a vague, uneasy feeling of discomfort or dread, accompanied by an autonomic response (the source often nonspecific or unknown to the individual); a feeling of apprehension caused by anticipation of danger.” It is an alerting signal that warns of apprehension caused by anticipation of danger and enables the individual to take measures to deal with the threat. It is differentiated from fear in that the anxious person cannot identify the threat, whereas the fearful person recognizes the source of fear.

Factors that can precipitate an attack of anxiety include any pathophysiological event that interferes with satisfaction of the basic human physiological needs. Situational factors include actual or perceived threat to self-concept, loss of significant others, threat to biological integrity, change in environment, change in socioeconomic status, and transmission of another person's anxiety to the individual. Other etiologic factors are associated with a threat to completion of developmental tasks at various life stages, for example, a threat to an adolescent in the completion of developmental tasks associated with sexual development, peer relationships, and independence.

Interventions. Measures to assist the individuals suffering from anxiety are aimed at helping them recognize their anxiety and their usual means of coping with it, and providing alternate, more healthful coping mechanisms that give a sense of physiological and psychological comfort.

anxiety disorders a group of mental disorders in which anxiety is the most prominent disturbance or in which anxiety is experienced if the patient attempts to control the symptoms. Everyone occasionally experiences anxiety as a normal response to a dangerous or unusual situation. In an anxiety disorder, the person feels the same emotion without any apparent reason and cannot identify the source of the threat that produces the anxiety, which actually has its origin in unconscious fears or conflicts.

People with anxiety disorders experience both the subjective emotion and various physical manifestations resulting from muscular tension and autonomic nervous system activity. This can produce a variety of symptoms, including sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, insomnia, loss of appetite, and palpitations. The source of the anxiety lies in unconscious fears, unresolved conflicts, forbidden impulses, or threatening memories. Symptoms are often triggered by an apparently harmless stimulus that the patient unconsciously links with a deeply buried, anxiety-producing experience. Chronic anxiety can lead to various somatic alterations. The onset of anxiety may be gradual or sudden. Some persons experience incapacitating acute anxiety (as in panic disorder) while others manifest their anxiety through avoidant behavior patterns (phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder). Anxiety disorders include: panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and substance-induced anxiety disorder.

free-floating anxiety severe, generalized anxiety having no apparent connection to any specific object, situation, or idea.

performance anxiety a social phobia characterized by extreme anxiety and episodes of panic when performance, particularly public performance, is required.

anxiety reaction a reaction characterized by abnormal apprehension or uneasiness; see also anxiety disorders.

separation anxiety apprehension due to removal of significant persons or familiar surroundings, common in infants 12 to 24 months old; see also separation anxiety disorder.

situational anxiety that occurring spcifically in relation to a situation or object.

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anxiety reaction

Psychology An acute, transient episode of anxiety often accompanied by systemic changes–eg, hyperventilation-induced changes—periorbital and fingertip tingling, tachypnea, syncope

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Patient discussion about anxiety reaction.

Q. What is Bipolar disorder? How is it different from depression/anxiety? How is Bipolar Disorder different from social anxiety & depression? How do you tell the difference?? What are the different symptoms? How is it diagnosed? Is this disorder treated the same way as anxiety & depression?

A. The primary symptoms of bipolar disorder are dramatic and unpredictable mood swings. The illness has two strongly contrasting phases.

In the manic phase:

* Euphoria or irritability
* Excessive talk; racing thoughts
* Inflated self-esteem
* Unusual energy; less need for sleep
* Impulsiveness, a reckless pursuit of gratification -- shopping sprees, impetuous travel, more and sometimes promiscuous sex, high-risk business investments, fast driving
* Hallucinations and or delusions (in cases of bipolar disorder with psychotic features)

In the depressive phase:

* Depressed mood and low self-esteem
* Low energy levels and apathy
* Sadness, loneliness, helplessness, guilt
* Slow speech, fatigue, and poor coordination
* Insomnia or oversleeping
* Suicidal thoughts and feelings
* Poor concentration
* Lack of interest or pleasure in usual activities

Source: WebMd

Q. I just have so many muddled thoughts. I sometimes wonder if life will ever be normal again,I'm scared. Hi I'm a 37 year old female. I am battling anxiety & depression on a daily basis. I have a wonderful family and being mom to a beautiful 13 month old baby girl. I live with the fear of dying. I feel that there is something terminally wrong with me and nobody cares. The man I loved for 20 years and the father of my daughter has pretty much decided he'll see us at his convenience. I don't understand why he doesn't want us. I just have so many muddled thoughts. I sometimes wonder if life will ever be normal again. I'm so scared I’m going to die and leave. I'm just so lost and scared. I'm terrified to be alone with my baby in case I drop dead and she is left by herself. My heart is fine, my head is fine and there is nothing "medically" wrong with me the docs say. I just don't understand.

A. I must add here, that though I am suicidal in thought at times, seeing a counciller (free) has helped me to cope with living each day as it comes. Check with your local Family Services, and they will find you council to help with your problems for free.

Q. what about opiod use in anxiety and depression? vicodin, anxiety, depression

A. Opioids are chemicals that have a morphine-like action in the body. They are mainly used for pain relief. They work by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. They are not usually used for anxiety and depression.
Depression can occur from an unbalance of serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine in the brain. Antidepressants improve the symptoms by bringing these chemicals back into balance. The major types of antidepressants are: NDRIs- Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs -Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and SNRIs -Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors.
The medications most often used to treat anxiety are from a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. These medications are sometimes referred to as "tranquilizers," because they leave you feeling calm and relaxed. They work by decreasing the physical symptoms, such as muscle tension and restlessness.