Symjepi

Overdosage of epinephrine may produce extremely elevated arterial pressure, which may result in cerebrovascular hemorrhage, particularly in elderly patients. Overdosage may also result in pulmonary edema because of peripheral vascular constriction together with cardiac stimulation. Treatment consists of rapidly acting vasodilators or alpha-adrenergic blocking drugs and/or respiratory support.

Epinephrine overdosage can also cause transient bradycardia followed by tachycardia, and these may be accompanied by potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Premature ventricular contractions may appear within one minute after injection and may be followed by multifocal ventricular tachycardia (prefibrillation rhythm). Subsidence of the ventricular effects may be followed by atrial tachycardia and occasionally by atrioventricular block. Treatment of arrhythmias consists of administration of a betaadrenergic blocking drug such as propranolol.

Overdosage sometimes results in extreme pallor and coldness of the skin, metabolic acidosis, and kidney failure. Suitable corrective measures must be taken in such situations.

Symjepi is part of the drug class:

• ADRENERGICS, INHALANTS

Epinephrine injection is used for emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) to insect bites or stings, medicines, foods, or other substances. It is also used to treat anaphylaxis caused by unknown substances or triggered by exercise.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction and requires immediate medical attention. Check with your doctor right away, or go to an emergency room as soon as possible, even if you feel better after using this medicine.

Tell your doctor if you develop symptoms of an infection (such as redness that does not go away, swelling, warmth, or tenderness) at the injection site.

This medicine may affect blood sugar levels. If you notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests or if you have any questions, check with your doctor.

Do not inject this medicine into your buttocks. Epinephrine may not work as well and may cause gas gangrene. Check with your doctor or go to the hospital emergency room right away to get additional treatment.

Do not inject this medicine into your hands or feet. There is already less blood flow to the hands and feet, and epinephrine could make that worse and cause damage to these tissues. If you accidentally inject epinephrine into your hands or feet, check with your doctor or go to the hospital emergency room right away.

This medicine may worsen the condition of patients with heart disease or heart rhythm problems. Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or tightness, decreased urine output, dilated neck veins, extreme fatigue, irregular heartbeat, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, troubled breathing, or weight gain. You might also feel dizzy or faint, or you might have a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

• If you have an allergy to epinephrine or any other part of Symjepi (epinephrine auto-injector and prefilled syringe).
• If you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other signs.

This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this medicine.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take Symjepi with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

Use this medicine as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• It is given as a shot into a muscle or into the fatty part of the skin.
• Read how to use before an emergency happens.
• Keep Symjepi with you at all times. You may want to keep extra ones at work, school, and home.
• Someone else may have to give this medicine. Be sure others know where Symjepi is stored and how to give it if needed.
• Never put your fingers or hand over the tip.
• Do not take off safety release until ready to use.
• When you are ready to use, take the pen out of the case.
• Hold pen with tip down.
• Make a fist around the pen.
• Pull off safety release.
• Jab straight into the outer thigh as you have been told. This medicine may be given through clothes if needed. Inject and hold for as long as you were told.
• Do not give into the buttocks.
• If giving this medicine to your child, hold the leg still to prevent injury. Try to limit how much your child moves before and during an injection.
• Get medical help right away after using Symjepi.
• Put back in the storage case.
• Take it with you to the hospital.
• Do not use this medicine if the solution changes color, is cloudy, or has particles. Get a new one.
• Do not use if Symjepi (epinephrine auto-injector and prefilled syringe) is out of date. Get a new one.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Get medical help right away.

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:

• Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Chest pain or pressure or a fast heartbeat.
• A heartbeat that does not feel normal.
• Shortness of breath.
• Feeling very tired or weak.
• Rarely, infections have happened where this medicine was given. Sometimes, these infections can be very bad. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of an infection like redness that does not go away, warmth, swelling, or tenderness.

Applies to epinephrine: compounding powder, inhalation aerosol, inhalation solution, injectable kit, injectable solution, intravenous solution, subcutaneous suspension

General

Due to the lack of randomized, controlled clinical trials for the treatment of anaphylaxis, the true incidence of adverse reactions associated with the systemic use of this drug is difficult to determine. The most commonly reported adverse reactions include anxiety, apprehensiveness, restlessness, tremor, weakness, dizziness, sweating, palpitations, pallor, nausea and vomiting, headache, and/or respiratory difficulties.[Ref]

Cardiovascular

Frequency not reported: Tachycardia, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmias, myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, limb/peripheral ischemia, palpitations, angina, arrhythmias, hypertension, vasoconstriction, ventricular ectopy, ventricular fibrillation, cold extremities, electrocardiogram changes, stress cardiomyopathy[Ref]

Nervous system

Frequency not reported: Headache, paresthesia, tremor, stroke, central nervous system bleeding, dizziness, cerebral hemorrhage, memory impaired, lightheadedness, psychomotor agitation, tingling, Parkinsonism aggravated, syncope, convulsions, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemiplegia[Ref]

Psychiatric

Frequency not reported: Nervousness, excitability, anxiety, apprehension, restlessness, disorientation, panic, hallucinations, psychosis, fear, sleeplessness/insomnia, tenseness, confusion, irritability[Ref]

Local

Frequency not reported: Extravasation, injection site pallor, coldness at injection site, hypoesthesia at injection site, injury at injection site, local ischemic necrosis[Ref]

Dermatologic

Frequency not reported: Diaphoresis, pallor, piloerection, skin blanching, skin necrosis with extravasation, necrotizing fasciitis, flushing/redness of skin and face, hyperhidrosis[Ref]

Metabolic

Frequency not reported: Hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hypokalemia, lactic acidosis, insulin secretion inhibited, metabolic acidosis, anorexia[Ref]

Respiratory

Frequency not reported: Pulmonary edema, rales, respiratory difficulty, dyspnea, bronchospasm, hypoxia of mucosa[Ref]

Renal

Frequency not reported: Renal insufficiency[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity side effects have been extremely unusual. Contact dermatitis has been associated with ocularly applied epinephrine (the active ingredient contained in Symjepi) These reactions have typically presented with lid edema and a thick yellow discharge.

Gastrointestinal

Frequency not reported: Nausea, vomiting, bowel necrosis, hypersalivation[Ref]

Genitourinary

Frequency not reported: Urinary retention, difficult micturition[Ref]

Hematologic

Frequency not reported: Thrombocytosis[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

Frequency not reported: Myonecrosis[Ref]

Other

Frequency not reported: Chest pain, weakness, gas gangrene, asthenia[Ref]

Ocular

Frequency not reported: Corneal endothelial damage[Ref]

Endocrine

Frequency not reported: Growth hormone secretion stimulated[Ref]

Some side effects of Symjepi may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.