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Adrenaline Injection

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Generic Name: Adrenaline acid tartrate
Product Name: Adrenaline Injection

Indication

Adrenaline is a drug that leads to increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased air entry, increased blood glucose, stimulates cardiac activity and reduce allergic reactions by reducing inflammatory response caused by histamine. Adrenaline action is fast yet it has a short duration. Due to these properties, it is used for the treatment of allergic and anaphylactic reactions (e.g. drug reactions, insect stings, food allergies).

Dose advice

  • There are no absolute contraindications to adrenaline in severe life-threatening situations requiring the use of it. However, care should be taken when giving adrenaline to the elderly and individuals with ischemic and/or cerebrovascular disease
  • Adrenaline is only for subcutaneous or intramuscular use. It is not an intravenous drug.
  • It’s essential that patients understand how, when and where to give themselves an adrenaline injection.
  • Do not use if the injection is brown or contains a precipitate.
  • The adrenaline is supplied as a single use prefilled syringe. After using the drug, discard the syringe with any remaining solution.
  • It’s pertinent that patients seek medical advice soon after administering an adrenaline injection so that patient is monitored.
  • Adrenaline should be stored in the dark and below 25 degrees; however, it should not be refrigerated.
  • It’s important to check the use by date prior to use and to restock the drug in advance.

Schedule

1 mg/10 mL (1:10,000): Unscheduled; 1 mg/mL (1:1,000):

Schedule 3

Common side effects

Common side effects include agitation , increased heart rate, sweating, sleeplessness, fatigue, dizziness, hallucinations, impaired memory, weakness, disoriention, breathlessness, reddening of the skin and face, cold fingers and toes, increase blood sugar levels and raised blood pressure.

Uncommon side effects

Uncommon side effects include severe hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, pulmonary oedema and cerebral haemorrhage.

References

  1. Bochner, F. Australian Medicines Handbook. Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd. Adelaide 2005; pp 2-5.

For further information talk to your doctor.



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Dates

Posted On: 22 July, 2003
Modified On: 25 April, 2016


Created by: myVMC