This medicine is given by injection to reverse severe allergic reactions to foods, drugs, or insect stings in adults and children. It is also used to treat immediate breathing problems caused by severe bronchial asthma or other lung diseases.

Proper Use

Use this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Use only the amount prescribed. If you are to give yourself the injections, be sure you understand what to do.

Your doctor may have prescribed an emergency kit for you to use in case of a severe allergic reaction to an insect sting (for example, a bee sting). Use the medicine as soon as you have any symptoms of an allergic reaction. Some emergency kits also include antihistamine tablets. Follow the directions in the kit for the use of the injection and the tablets. Be sure to keep the emergency kit with you.

Please Note

Inject the medicine into your outer thigh unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

If the allergic reaction continues after you use this medicine, get emergency medical help right away.

This medicine is sensitive to light. Store it in a dark, cool place in its original container. Do not refrigerate. From time to time, check the liquid to see if it has discolored. Do not use any medicine that is discolored or cloudy.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Diabetics: If you are using this medicine very often, it may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk to your doctor about this.

Possible Side Effects

Serious: Chest pain.

Other: Irregular or rapid heart beat, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dizziness, weakness, headache, nervousness.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Possible Drug Interactions

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it may increase or decrease the effects of the medicines. Or the combination may cause harmful side effects. Some medicines that may interact with this medicine are:

• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and isocarboxazid (Marplan)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), and doxepin (Sinequan).

This medicine may change the amount of insulin or oral diabetes medicine that you need to control your blood sugar. Check with your doctor.

Be sure that you tell all doctors who treat you about all medicines you are taking, including nonprescription products.

This educational document includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
Other Names For This Medication:

Adrenalin Chloride Solution (epinephrine, injection); Ana-Kit (epinephrine, injection/chlorpheniramine, oral); epinephrine, injection; EpiPen Auto-Injector (epinephrine, injection); EpiPen Jr. Auto-Injector (epinephrine, injection); Sus-Phrine (epinephrine, injection)