Precautions
You should use an EpiPen when you suspect that you or others are experiencing a severe allergic reaction. When the symptoms of anaphylaxis begin, that’s when the device is needed. However, only those who’ve been prescribed the device by their doctor should use it. Also, epinephrine shouldn’t be given in place of medical treatment.
Do you know how and when to use an EpiPen?
The medication, epinephrine, can cause side effects such as headache and dizziness. And it can be dangerous if used at the same time as certain other drugs. The device itself also can cause complications if it does not work properly or expires. Hundreds of people reported serious complications after device failures between 2009 and early 2017.
Is it dangerous to use an EpiPen?
EpiPens are a type of epinephrine auto-injector, which means they work by automatically injecting a dose of the hormone epinephrine (also called adrenaline) into a person's body. This could be...
What is an EpiPen and how does it work?
One brand name EpiPen or EpiPen Jr. package (which contains 2 auto-injectors) will cost roughly $650 to $700 if you are paying cash, although pharmacy coupons or manufacturers discounts may lower the price. More › How Much Does EpiPen Cost In 2022? Mylan, a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Pennsylvania, manufactures the branded EpiPen.
How much does an EpiPen really cost?
See more
How do you use an EpiPen step by step?
AdministerPlace the orange tip on your thigh. Next, aim for the middle of the outer thigh, holding it at a right angle to the thigh.Swing the pen back about 6 inches and firmly push it against your thigh. ... Hold firmly in place for 3 seconds. ... Remove the EpiPen from your thigh. ... Massage the injection site.
How does an EpiPen work?
Once administered, it automatically injects epinephrine to decrease the body's allergic reaction. The drug works to relax the airways to help a person breathe easier, and works to reverse the dangerous decrease in blood pressure that can happen during an allergic reaction. EpiPens are easy to use and can save a life.
What happens when you take an EpiPen when you don't need it?
temporary numbness or tingling. pain and swelling at the injection site. elevated heart rate and/or heart palpations.
Where do you inject an EpiPen?
This medicine is injected under the skin or into the muscle of your outer thigh only. Do not inject this medicine into a vein, into the muscle of your buttocks, or into your fingers, toes, hands, or feet. To do so, may increase the chance of having serious side effects.
Are EpiPens painful?
Like many drugs, there might be side effects from epinephrine, such as anxiety, dizziness, and sweating, and swelling, pain, or changes in skin color at the injection site because of decreased blood flow to the area. And though rare, people with heart disease might experience chest pain after an injection.
How long does an EpiPen last after injection?
The medicine starts to wear off in 20 to 30 minutes, and the reaction may come back. A second dose can be given in 5 to 10 minutes if your child is not better before help comes. Inhalers, like albuterol, and antihistamines (Benadryl®), will not treat severe allergic reactions.
What are two signs of anaphylaxis?
Symptoms of anaphylaxisfeeling lightheaded or faint.breathing difficulties – such as fast, shallow breathing.wheezing.a fast heartbeat.clammy skin.confusion and anxiety.collapsing or losing consciousness.
How much does an EpiPen cost?
How Much Does an EpiPen Cost? One brand name EpiPen or EpiPen Jr. package (which contains 2 auto-injectors) will cost roughly $650 to $700 if you are paying cash, although pharmacy coupons or manufacturers discounts may lower the price.
Do you have to go to ER after EpiPen?
You should always be checked out at the ER after using your EpiPen. That is not because of the epinephrine, but because the allergic reaction probably requires further monitoring. Many patients also need more than one dose of epinephrine or other emergency treatments.
Can you use an EpiPen through jeans?
Yes. If necessary, you can inject EpiPen® through clothing.
How long does it take for an EpiPen to work?
Brown generally recommends between 5 and 15 minutes as a reasonable timeframe between doses to determine if the epinephrine has taken effect.
Why are EpiPens injected into the thigh?
As opposed to the upper arm, the thigh muscle is one of the body's largest muscles with more blood supply, so it allows much faster absorption of the medication. The outer thigh, versus the front of the thigh, is recommended because it provides a skin area with thinner tissue and less fat. Dr.
Is an EpiPen just adrenaline?
An EpiPen is just adrenaline (also called epinephrine) – the “fight or flight” hormone – in a patented syringe. Epinephrine can be lifesaving in someone who has trouble breathing from anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction). Anaphylaxis, however, is rare.
How many times can one EpiPen be injected?
The EpiPen dose may be repeated every 5 to 15 minutes if symptoms recur or have not subsided. Do not inject more than two sequential doses of EpiPen unless under medical supervision. Explain to the doctor that you have had EpiPen (intramuscular adrenaline). Take your used EpiPen Auto-Injector with you.
Can you use an EpiPen through jeans?
Yes. If necessary, you can inject EpiPen® through clothing.
Why does adrenaline stop anaphylaxis?
Adrenaline is a natural hormone released in response to stress. When injected, adrenaline rapidly reverses the effects of anaphylaxis by reducing throat swelling, opening the airways, and maintaining heart function and blood pressure.
What is an Epipen Jr?
EpiPen®and EpiPen Jr® Auto-Injectors are for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) caused by allergens, exercise, or unknown triggers; and for people who are at increased risk for these reactions. EpiPen®and EpiPen Jr®are intended for immediate administration as emergency supportive therapy only. Seek immediate emergency medical help right away.
Can you get an infection from an epipen injection?
Rarely, patients who have used EpiPen®or EpiPen Jr®may develop an infection at the injection site within a few days. Some of these infections can be serious. Call your healthcare professional right away if you have any of the following at an injection site: redness that does not go away, swelling, tenderness, or the area feels warm to the touch.
How to report side effects of prescription drugs?
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
When to use Epipen?
Use an EpiPen®Auto-Injector if a life-threatening (severe) allergic reaction occurs
Can antihistamines be used for anaphylaxis?
Antihistamines are not recommended for the life-threatening symptoms of anaphylaxis.
How to close a modal window?
This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.
What is an auto injector?
The EpiPen ® Auto-Injector is a disposable, pre-filled automatic injection device that administers epinephrine in the event of a severe allergic reaction.
How to remove blue safety cap?
Remove blue safety cap by pulling straight up – do not bend or twist. Orange to the thigh. Place the orange tip against the middle of the outer thigh. Swing and push the auto-injector firmly into the thigh until it “clicks”. Hold firmly in place for three seconds – count slowly, “1, 2, 3”.
Does epinephrine wear off?
The effects of epinephrine can wear off, or you could have a second reaction. You will also need professional care to determine whether additional epinephrine, steroids, antihistamines, or other treatments are required. Using EpiPen ® does not replace seeing a doctor or going to the hospital.
Does Epipen replace seeing a doctor?
Using EpiPen ® does not replace seeing a doctor or going to the hospital.
Can too much epinephrine cause high blood pressure?
Too much epinephrine can cause dangerously high blood pressure, stroke , or death. Signs of an overdose include:
How should I use EpiPen?
The EpiPen Auto-Injector device is a disposable single-use system. Use an Auto-Injector only one time.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while using EpiPen?
Do not inject EpiPen into a vein or into the muscles of your buttocks, or it may not work as well. Inject it only into the fleshy outer portion of the thigh.
What is the purpose of an epipen?
EpiPen is used to treat severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) to insect stings or bites, foods, drugs, and other allergens. Epinephrine is also used to treat exercise-induced anaphylaxis. EpiPen may be kept on hand for self-injection by a person with a history of an severe allergic reaction.
How long does it take for an epipen to wear off?
Seek emergency medical attention even after you use EpiPen to treat a severe allergic reaction. The effects may wear off after 10 or 20 minutes. You will need to receive further treatment and observation.
What is an epipen?
What is EpiPen? EpiPen is an injection containing epinephrine, a chemical that narrows blood vessels and opens airways in the lungs. These effects can reverse severe low blood pressure, wheezing, severe skin itching, hives, and other symptoms of an allergic reaction. EpiPen is used to treat severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) ...
How much does an Epipen Jr weigh?
The EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector (0.15 mg) is for patients who weigh about 33 to 66 pounds (15 to 30 kilograms). It is not known if EpiPen and EpiPen Jr are safe and effective in children who weigh less than 33 pounds (15 kilograms).
What is an Epipen auto injector?
EpiPen auto-injectors are prescribed to people who have a history or recognized risk of going into anaphylactic shock due to a severe allergy. The effects of this medication are rapid but not long-lasting so it is advised to immediately seek medical attention.
Why is adrenaline released?
Adrenaline, which is also sometimes called epinephrine, is released through the injection to treat fatal allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock.
What is an epipen?
End of dialog window. EpiPen is an injection that contains epinephrine, a chemical that narrows blood vessels and opens airways in the lungs. EpiPens have become a necessity for families with children suffering from severe allergies to counter effects like wheezing, uneven breathing, increased or decreased heart rate, ...
What does "epipen" mean in a dialog?
End of dialog window. EpiPen is an injection that contains epinephrine, a chemical that narrows blood vessels and opens airways in the lungs.
Why do people need epipens?
EpiPens have become a necessity for families with children suffering from severe allergies to counter effects like wheezing, uneven breathing, increased or decreased heart rate, swelling and other potentially fatal reactions.
When did Mylan buy Epipen?
Mylan — the manufacturer of EpiPen — acquired the decades-old product in 2007, when pharmacies paid less than $100 for a two-pen set. In 2009, a pharmacy paid $103.50 for a set and by July 2013 the price increased to $264.50.
Does a syringe injection cause dizziness?
The injection rapidly controls the symptoms of an active allergic reaction, which includes wheezing, difficulty breathing or swallowing, fall in blood pressure causing dizziness or faintness, feeling sick, vomiting, fast heartbeat, weak pulse, tightening of the chest, itching of the skin, among several others.
How to use Epipen Jr?
You may need further medical attention. Only a healthcare professional should give additional doses of epinephrine if you need more than two injections for a single anaphylactic episode. EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr® should only be injected into the middle of your outer thigh (upper leg), through clothing if necessary. Do not inject into your veins, buttocks, fingers, toes, hands or feet. Hold the leg of young children firmly in place before and during injection to prevent injuries. In case of accidental injection, please seek immediate medical treatment.
What is the dose of Epipen?
EpiPen® (epine phrine injection, USP) 0.3 mg or EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine injection, USP) 0.15 mg Auto-Injectors are for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) caused by allergens, exercise, or unknown triggers; and for people who are at increased risk for these reactions. EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr® are intended for immediate administration as emergency supportive therapy only. Seek immediate emergency medical help right away.
Can you get an infection from an epipen injection?
Rarely, patients who have used EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr® may develop an infection at the injection site within a few days. Some of these infections can be serious. Call your healthcare professional right away if you have any of the following at an injection site: redness that does not go away, swelling, tenderness, or the area feels warm to the touch.
What Is an EpiPen and What Is It Used For?
EpiPen is the brand name of an auto-injectable device that delivers the drug epinephrine. It is a life-saving medication used when someone is experiencing a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis.
How Do You Know If You Need Injectable Epinephrine?
The allergist will obtain pertinent medical history, perform a physical exam, and recommend diagnostic testing if indicated.
Can You Give Us Some Examples of When Injectable Epinephrine Is Not Needed?
A true allergy to insect venom is diagnosed with a consultation and appropriate testing by an allergist. The good news for those with this diagnosis is that there are excellent treatment options that can desensitize the patient and protect them from serious reactions in the future. Find more information on insect sting allergy.
Why is it important to know when to inject epinephrine?
Knowing when and how to use your injectable epinephrine is very important. Your allergist and their staff will help you put a plan in place so you can recognize the signs of anaphylaxis and feel comfortable acting in the event of an emergency. Most deaths from anaphylaxis are caused by a delay in the administration of epinephrine. We tell our patients: when in doubt, administer. Using epinephrine if not medically necessary will not hurt you – however – not using can have dire consequences.
Why is epinephrine used for anaphylaxis?
Epinephrine also prevents the release of more allergic chemicals, which stops the progression of the allergic response. Epinephrine is the only medication that works on the entire body, multi-system, multi-organ, for anaphylaxis, which is why it is the only drug recommended.
What is the purpose of an epipen?
This medication acts on the whole body to block the progression of the allergic response. It constricts the blood vessels, leading to increased blood pressure, and decreased swelling. This allows the muscles around the airways to relax, ...
What is the name of the company that makes Epipen?
Mylan (manufacturer of EpiPen and the authorized generic) and Kaléo (Auvi-Q) offer assistance programs to help patients gain access to injectable epinephrine when cost is an issue.
What is the role of adrenaline in medicine?
Eventually, adrenaline (which came to be known as epinephrine in the United States) settled into its role as a surgical aid, a treatment for asthma, and a means of reversing anaphylaxis. Just in time, too.
What is Takamine used for?
Takamine is also responsible for Washington D.C.’s famous cherry trees, a gift he arranged from the mayor of Tokyo. Soon after his discovery, scientists figured out how to synthesize and produce the hormone cheaply. The drug enjoyed a brief career as a panacea, used to treat everything from bubonic plague to bed-wetting.
What is the name of the device that the body attacks when it is allergic to a substance?
Around the same time, he developed a similar device for civilians facing their own enemy: anaphylaxis. Greek for “without protection,” anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that occurs when the body launches a full-scale attack on a seemingly innocuous substance like a peanut or a latex glove. French physiologist — and eugenicist ...
When did anaphylaxis start?
Just in time, too. Beginning around the 1960s, anaphylaxis seemed to be happening more often — not just in clinical settings as a reaction to medicine. As a result, doctors began prescribing epinephrine kits, stocked with a vial of medicine and syringes, to at-risk patients.
Why was Auviq recalled?
The AuviQ, a smaller and more discreet auto-injector, equipped with a voice function that talked a patient through its deployment, was recalled#N#Trusted Source#N#last year for delivering inconsistent doses of the drug.
What hormones raise blood pressure?
Epinephrine, or adrenaline, constricts and patches leaky blood vessels, which raises blood pressure and opens airways back up.
When was the Epipen approved?
When the EpiPen was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987 , it was met with a sigh of relief from needle-averse patients and their families.
How long does an injector last?
If the device expires in less than a year, ask the pharmacist for a fresher one. You will need to check the expiration date on the actual injector to make sure it will last as long as your prescription is good. Be sure to write your auto-injector's expiration date on your calendar to remind you to get a refill.
Why is a sharp point necessary?
This sharp point is necessary so that the user—who by definition is a person in need of emergency epinephrine—can use the device instantly to inject the medication, and so that the medication can act immediately. Sharps pose a danger to unsuspecting family members and to sanitation workers who are emptying the garbage.
How long does an epipen last?
This is easy to check: If the liquid inside your auto-injector is cloudy, you need a new EpiPen. Epinephrine auto-injectors are made to last one year, the length of a typical prescription.
What happens when you throw unused medication in the trash?
In addition, tossing unused medications into the trash usually means they'll wind up in a landfill. When medication winds up in landfills it can leach into our groundwater, causing health problems for communities nearby.
When can you carry an Epipen?
on November 25, 2019. It's common for people with a food allergy to carry an EpiPen device. It's the one item you don't leave home without when you have severe allergies. Carrying an EpiPen or having one nearby is a precautionary measure that can save your life if you're accidentally exposed to an allergen.
What is an epipen?
EpiPens, officially known as "epinephrine auto-injectors," include needles (known as "sharps") that are designed to be able to pierce human skin. This sharp point is necessary so that the user—who by definition is a person in need of emergency epinephrine—can use the device instantly to inject the medication, and so that the medication can act immediately.
Can you throw an expired Epipen in the trash?
However, many people don't know how to dispose of used or expired EpiPens once they're done with the medical devices. You can't just throw an EpiPen or another auto-injector in the trash since it's considered hazardous medical waste.
