How is epinephrine given for anaphylaxis?
Epinephrine is most often administered via an auto-injector. It can also be delivered manually through a syringe and needle. Both the auto-injector and manual injection deliver epinephrine into the muscle of the outer thigh. This is referred to as an intramuscular epinephrine injection.
Using an auto-injector is preferable for most people. The reason is that the medication comes pre-filled with epinephrine solution and the needle attached. All it requires is the user to follow the auto-injector instructions to release the epinephrine into the muscle of the outer thigh.Epinephrine auto-injectors are considered more user friendly and leave less room for error.
Using the manual method, the epinephrine would first need to be drawn up in a syringe. Then you would attach a needle to the syringe. This creates room for error and takes longer, thus delaying emergency treatment. (Some syringe kits do come pre-filled with the epinephrine solution and needle attached. Ask your doctor if these kits are available.)
Some people may choose to use the manual method because it’s a much cheaper alternative than epinephrine auto-injectors. Epinephrine auto-injectors may cost anywhere from $100 to several hundred dollars, depending on insurance. Meantime, ampules of epinephrine and syringes/needles can be purchased for around $20.
Clinical trials are underway for new routes of epinephrine administration to treat severe reactions. Sublingual epinephrine (under the tongue) shows promising results for treating anaphylaxis. An epinephrine nasal spray may also be another option for anaphylaxis treatment in the future.
