| What is ANAPEN? |  |
The ANAPEN Auto-Injector is a spring-activated automatic injection device, containing a sterile, pre-loaded syringe of Adrenaline. Anapen is designed to deliver a single dose of adrenaline in the emergency treatment of severe anaphylactic reactions only.
What is it used for?
ANAPEN is an automatic injection device, for use in allergic emergencies (anaphylaxis). Allergic emergencies can be caused by allergens such as certain food types, insect bites and some medicines (see Anaphylaxis page for more details). Adrenaline is the drug used in the treatment of severe allergic reactions. In a hospital or surgery adrenaline would be administered within seconds to reverse the life threatening effects of anaphylaxis.
The
effects of severe anaphylaxis
can include severe oedema within the respiratory system, leading to respiratory
difficulty, widespread vasolidation leading to circulatory collapse, loss
of consciousness and eventually respiratory or cardiac arrest. The faster
the onset of symptoms, the more severe the reaction is likely to be and
the more urgent the need for adrenaline.
Anapen
is now widely available in the UK on the standard NHS prescription.
The injection should only be made into the thigh muscle. In an emergency, you can inject through clothing. The injection itself is usually quite painless. Medical help should be sought as soon as possible after developing an anaphylactic reaction, even if you have used the Anapen and feel better. The reaction could return when the effects of the adrenaline have worn off, which is usually between 10-20 minutes. For stability reasons, approximately 0.7ml of adrenaline is left in the syringe after use. The diagrams below illustrate how the Anapen should be administered.
|
1. Remove black needle cap |
2. Remove black safety cap from firing button |
|
3. Hold Anapen against outer thigh and press red firing button. You can inject through clothing if necessary. |
4. Hold Anapen in position for 10 seconds. This allows the full dose of adrenaline to be injected. |
In most cases, you will feel the helpful effects of an adrenaline reaction within seconds. You may feel your heart speed up and may also feel anxious or nervous. These are the normal effects of adrenaline, which is a stress hormone produced naturally in your body by the adrenal glands. Adrenaline causes the 'fight or flight' reaction which prepares your body for any stressful physical activity, by speeding up your heart and increasing the flow of blood to your muscles. Professional sports people experience the 'adrenaline rush' before and during a highly competitive event.
Adrenaline helps to reverse the effect