Epinephrine is the drug form of a hormone (adrenaline) that the body produces naturally. It is the first line medication which should be used for the emergency treatment of a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
Epinephrine is usually injected with a spring-activated auto-injector containing a pre-measured dose of epinephrine. It is meant to be injected into the muscle on the outer side of the thigh.
No person should be expected to be fully responsible for self-administration of an auto-injector. When suffering an anaphylactic reaction, the person may not be able to self-inject.
If possible, have the EpiPen® and Twinject® trainer devices available to practice as you review this section. Both trainer devices are included in the Anaphylaxis Resource Kit sent to your school.
There are two epinephrine auto-injectors available in North America: EpiPen® and Twinject®.
Click on a picture to see specific features for that device.
Click on VIDEO to see a video demonstration on how to use that device. Make sure your computer speakers are on.
