972. What is an epipen and how does it work?
EpiPens are a type of epinephrine auto-injector, which means they work by automatically injecting a dose of the hormone epinephrine (also called adrenaline) into a person's body. This could be done, for example, during a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
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.
Side effects : Like all medicines, epinephrine may cause side effects.
Some side effects from using epinephrine may include paleness, dizziness, weakness, shaking, headache, throbbing, restlessness, anxiety, tenseness, or fear. Serious side effects include difficulty breathing, increased heart rate (pounding heart), irregular or skipped heart beats, chest pain (also called angina), and stroke. The symptoms of stroke are blurred vision, difficulty speaking, headache, dizziness, and weakness.