Final answer:
In an Electronic Health Record, allergies can be marked as active or inactive, reflecting their current status. Mild allergy symptoms are treated with antihistamines, while severe reactions require epinephrine injections. Immunotherapy can help desensitize the immune system to allergens.
Step-by-step explanation:
Allergies are a type of immune system disorder where the body has an inflammatory response to a harmless antigen. When managing allergies through an Electronic Health Record (EHR), it is possible to classify an allergy as either active or inactive. This classification helps in tracking the patient's allergy status over time. Mild allergy symptoms can often be treated with antihistamines, which work against histamines to reduce symptoms. In contrast, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis requires immediate treatment with epinephrine injections. Immunotherapy introduces allergens in increasing amounts over time to desensitize the immune system to these substances, potentially reducing allergy symptoms long-term. Patients must avoid allergy medications before allergy testing, as these medications can interfere with the test results by suppressing the immune system's reaction to allergens. Avoiding potential allergens is the most effective way to prevent allergic reactions. In some cases, allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be employed to train the immune system not to overreact to allergens, thereby reducing or preventing allergic responses.