Epipen Adult 0.3Mg

Epinephrine (Adrenaline) solution for injection   

What Epinephrine is and what it is used for:

Adrenaline (Epinephrine) belongs to a class of drugs called sympathomimetic agents. 

Adrenaline injection can be used for the emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions.

What you need to know before you use Epinephrine:

You should not be given Adrenaline Injection if you are:

• allergic to adrenaline, or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine 

• Adrenaline injection should not be used in areas such as fingers, toes, ears, nose, genitalia or buttocks, as the blood supply to these areas might become inadequate

Warnings and precautions:

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse before using Adrenaline Injection if: 

• you are elderly

• you suffer from any heart problem, particularly if it affects the heart rate or if you suffer from chest pain

• you have problems with your brain e.g. stroke, brain damage or blood vessel disease

• you have an overactive thyroid, diabetes or glaucoma (high pressure in the eye)

• you have phaeochromocytoma (a tumour on the adrenal gland) 

• you have low blood levels of potassium or high blood levels of calcium.

• you have a tumour on your prostate gland or kidney disease

• you are in shock or have lost a lot of blood

• you are going to have a surgery under general anaesthesia

• you are suffering from high blood pressure

• you have atherosclerosis which is a narrowing and hardening of the body’s blood vessels (your doctor will advise you).

Other medicines and Epinephrine:

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have recently used or might use any other medicines.

A large number of drugs can interact with Adrenaline Injection which can significantly alter their effects. These drugs include: 

• monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) or tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine, amitriptyline, both used for depression

• cardiac glycosides such as digoxin, used for heart failure

• guanethidine, used for the rapid control of blood pressure

• diuretics (“water tablets”) such as hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide

• inhaled general anaesthetics, such as halothane

• medicines to raise or lower your blood pressure including betablockers, e.g. propranolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, phentolamine

• anti-diabetic drugs like insulin or oral hypoglycaemic agents (e.g. glipizide)

• aminophylline and theophylline (medicines to help you breathe)

• corticosteroids (medicines used to treat inflammatory conditions in your body such as asthma or arthritis)

• antihistamines (for example: diphenhydramine), used for the treatment of allergies

• medicines used to treat mental illness like chlorpromazine, pericyazine or fluphenazine

• medicines used to treat an underactive thyroid gland

• oxytocin (used to induce labour at term and to control bleeding after delivery)

• any cough or cold remedies (sympathomimetics).

How to use Epinephrine:

Your doctor will give Adrenaline Injection to you into a muscle (Intramuscular - IM), however, in emergencies your doctor may give you a diluted injection into your vein (intravenous - IV). 

Adrenaline injection must NOT be given in areas such as fingers, toes, ears, nose, genitalia or buttocks, as the blood supply to these areas might become inadequate.

If repeated injections are required, your doctor will change the site of injection. It will be administered by a trained healthcare professional. 

Your doctor will decide the most suitable dosage and route of administration for your particular case according to your age and physical circumstances. 

Adults 

The usual dose is 0.5ml. If necessary, this dose may be repeated several times at 5-minute intervals.

 Elderly 

There are no specific dose regimens for adrenaline injection in elderly patients, however adrenaline should be used with great caution.

Children 

The following doses of Adrenaline Solution for Injection are recommended:

Over 12 years: 0.5 mg IM (0.5ml 1mg/ml solution), 0.3 mg IM (0.3ml 1mg/ml solution) if the child is small or pre-pubertal)

6 - 12 years: 0.3 mg IM (0.3ml 1mg/ml solution)

6 months – 6 years: 0.15 mg IM (0.15ml 1mg/ml solution)

Under 6 months: 0.01mg/kg IM (0.01ml/kg 1mg/ml solution)

Possible side effects:

If you experience any of these following side effects, stop using this medicine and report to a doctor immediately:

• allergic reactions although serious allergic reactions are rare

• any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing

• swelling of the eyelids, face or lips, rash or itching (especially affecting your whole body).

How to store Epinephrine:

• Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.

• Your doctor, nurse or paramedic will check that the expiry date on the label has not been passed before administering Adrenaline Injection to you. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month.

• You should not be given the Adrenaline Injection if you notice it has been used or shows signs of visible damage. 

• Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.