EpiPen OverviewFollow Medication
EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-Injectors (generic: epinephrine) are prescription medications used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions in adults and children. EpiPen contains epinephrine which belongs to a group of drugs called sympathomimetic agents. They relax muscles in the airways and tighten the blood vessels, reversing severely low blood pressure and symptoms of allergic reaction.
This medication comes in an injectable form and is injected in the thigh during a serious allergic reaction.
Common side effects of EpiPen include fast and irregular heartbeat, sweating, and nausea.
Seek emergency medical attention, even after EpiPen use, to treat severe allergic reactions.
Uses of EpiPen
EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-Injectors are prescription medicines used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions in adults and children.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Side Effects of EpiPen
- Too much epinephrine can cause dangerously high blood pressure or stroke.
- If you take certain medicines, you may develop serious life-threatening side effects from the epinephrine in EpiPen/ EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector. Be sure to tell your doctor all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma.
- Patients with certain medical conditions, or who take certain medicines, may get more side effects from EpiPen/ EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector or the side effects may last longer. This includes patients who take certain types of medicines for asthma, allergies, depression, low thyroid, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Patients with heart disease may feel chest pain (angina).
- EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector (epinephrine) can cause the following reactions. Some reactions can be serious. They usually go away with rest. Please notify your doctor if you experience any of these.
Common side effects of EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector include:
- Faster, irregular (wrong) or "pounding" heartbeat
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Breathing problems
- Paleness
- Dizziness
- Weakness or shakiness
- Headache
- Feelings of over excitement, nervousness or anxiety
EpiPen Interactions
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and hergal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil);
- digoxin (Digitek, Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin); and quinidine (Quinidex);
- a monoamine oxidase inhibitor such as phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate) or have stopped taking it within the past two weeks.
EpiPen Precautions
There are no absolute contraindications to the use of EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector in a life-threatening allergic reaction. People with certain medical conditions have a higher chance of having serious side effects from EpiPen or EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all your medical conditions, but especially if you:
- Have heart disease or high blood pressure
- Have diabetes
- Have thyroid conditions
- Are pregnant
What to avoid:
- NEVER PUT THUMB, FINGERS OR HAND OVER ORANGE TIP. NEVER PRESS OR PUSH ORANGE TIP WITH THUMB, FINGERS OR HAND. The needle comes out of orange tip. Accidental injection into finger, hands or feet may result in loss of blood flow to these areas. If this happens, go immediately to the nearest emergency room.
- Do not inject EpiPen or EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector into the buttock or any other part of the body, other than the middle of the outer side of your thigh (upper leg).
- Do not inject EpiPen or EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector into a vein.
- Do not drop carrier tube or auto-injector. If carrier tube or auto-injector is dropped, inspect for damage and leakage. Discard auto-injector and carrier tube, and replace if damage or leakage is noticed or suspected.
EpiPen Food Interactions
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of EpiPen or EpiPen Jr there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving EpiPen or EpiPen Jr.
Inform MD
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all your medical conditions, but especially if you:
- Have heart disease or high blood pressure
- Have diabetes
- Have thyroid conditions
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.
- Some medicines may cause serious side effects if taken while you use EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector.
- Some medicines may affect how EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector works. EpiPen or EpiPen" Jr Auto-Injector may affect how your other medicines work.
Especially tell your doctor if you take: antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); digoxin (Digitek, Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin); and quinidine (Quinidex). Also tell your doctor if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor such as phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate) or have stopped taking it within the past two weeks.
Inform your doctor of all known allergies.
EpiPen and Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector will harm your unborn baby.
EpiPen and Lactation
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector is excreted in human milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.
EpiPen Usage
EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector comes as a single-dose pre-filled automatic injection device to be injected into the thigh. You should only use it when you are experiencing or are likely to begin experiencing a serious allergic reaction. Talk to your doctor about substances that may cause serious allergic reactions and symptoms of these reactions.
Under certain conditions, you may need more than one epinephrine injection to treat an allergic reaction. Your doctor will tell you if and when you should use a second dose. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use epinephrine injection exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Follow the user guide for instructions on proper use of the auto-injector.
EpiPen Dosage
Each EpiPen or EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector contains a single dose of epinephrine.
- The EpiPen Auto-Injector (0.3 mg) is generally intended for patients who weigh 66 pounds or more (30 kilograms or more).
- The EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector (0.15 mg) is generally intended for patients who weigh approximately 33 to 66 pounds (15 to 30 kilograms).
Use EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
EpiPen Overdose
If you take too much EpiPen/EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector, seek emergency medical attention right away or call your local Poison Control Center.
Forms of EpiPen
EpiPen Auto-Injector contains 0.3 mg (0.3 mL, 1:1000) epinephrine.
EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector contains 0.15 mg (0.3 mL, 1:2000) epinephrine.
Inactive ingredients: sodium chloride, sodium metabisulfite, water, hydrochloric acid, nitrogen
Other Requirements
- Keep the EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector nearby and ready for use at all times.
- Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15°C-30°C (59°F-86°F) (See USP Controlled Room Temperature). Contains no latex. Protect from light.
- Do NOT store in refrigerator.
- Do NOT expose to extreme cold or heat. For example, do NOT store in your vehicle's glove box.
- Examine contents in clear window of auto-injector periodically. If the solution is discolored or contains solid particles (precipitate), replace the unit. Solution should be clear.
- Always keep your EpiPen or EpiPen Jr Auto- Injector in the carrier tube with the blue safety release on until you need to use it. Your auto-injector has an expiration date.
- Dispose of used or expired auto-injectors by taking them to the hospital or to your doctor's office.
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