Description
EpiPen® contains epinephrine, a medication that can help decrease your body’s allergic reaction by:
- Relaxing the muscles in your airways to make breathing easier
- Helping to reverse the rapid and dangerous decrease in blood pressure
- Relaxing the muscles in the stomach, intestines, and bladder
- EpiPen® is for emergency treatment only and does not replace seeing a healthcare provider or going to the hospital.
How to store EpiPen®
Storing your EpiPen® Auto-Injector properly can help keep it effective and ready to use in the event of a severe allergic reaction.
When storing EpiPen®, follow these recommendations:
- Keep your EpiPen® Auto-Injector at room temperature
- Do not expose to direct sunlight
- Do not refrigerate or freeze
- Do not keep EpiPen® in a vehicle during extremely hot or cold weather
- Keep your EpiPen® Auto-Injector in its carrier tube to protect it from damage; but remember, the carrier tube is not waterproof
- Keep the blue safety cap, which helps prevent accidental injection, on until you need to use EpiPen®
- Do not drop
- Do not keep folded paper instructions or any other objects in the carrier tube with EpiPen®; they may prevent you from retrieving your auto-injector quickly in a severe allergic emergency
Occasionally inspect the EpiPen® solution through the viewing window.
The solution should always be clear.
Replace your EpiPen® Auto-Injector if you see:
- Discoloured or brown solution
- Solid particles (also called precipitate)
- Any signs of leakage or damage to the carrier
Ask your pharmacist or physician about how to properly dispose of an EpiPen® Auto-Injector that’s discoloured, used, or expired. Never try taking the auto-injector apart.
