Emerade

What is Emerade?

Emerade is no longer available, but there are alternatives. Epipen and Jext are both auto-injector pens that work the same way as Emerade.

Emerade was an auto-injector that delivered one single dose of adrenaline, which makes it an emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Anaphylaxis can be caused by allergens in various substances such as foods (for example, peanuts), medicines, insect stings and bites. Emerade was given to treat severe reactions to these things as well as for reactions that occur with no obvious trigger.

It’s a treatment that should be administered during the early stages of anaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis are: difficulty swallowing or persistent cough; difficult or noisy breathing; feeling faint, clammy skin and possibly confusion. If these symptoms don’t improve after 5-10 minutes a second dose would be given.

How does Emerade work?

Emerade contained adrenaline (otherwise known as epinephrine). Adrenaline has several important effects in treating severe allergic reactions such as preventing or decreasing restriction of the airways as well as countering hypotension (severe lowering of blood pressure) which can accompany anaphylaxis.^[1]  It can also help reduce your heart rate which can become seriously increased during an anaphylactic episode.

What doses of Emerade are there?

When it was available, you could get Emerade as a 300mcg and 500mcg pen. 300mcg would have been the recommended dose in the first instance. What we mean by this is that some anaphylactic reactions require more than 300mcg in order to counter the effects of the allergic reactions. This is why we always supply two pens auto-injector pens, as it’s highly recommended that you always carry two pens in case you need an extra dose.

If you have had an anaphylactic reaction previously which required two doses of adrenaline then the 500mcg pen would have been available to you.

How to use Emerade

When Emerade was available, the instructions to use it were as follows:

• As soon as signs of anaphylaxis are noticed (such as noisy breathing, difficulty swallowing and feeling faint), Emerade should be administered.
• Emerade can be injected through clothing and needs to be injected into the muscle on the outer side of the thigh.
• Simply remove the needle shield, press Emerade against the outer side of the thigh until you hear a click, and then hold Emerade against the thigh for five seconds.
• Massaging the area of injection after giving the dose can help Emerade to be absorbed more quickly.
• After administering Emerade the emergency services must be called immediately and, even if your symptoms seem to be improving, paramedics must be informed that anaphylaxis has occurred.
• After five minutes, if the symptoms have not improved or have become worse, a second dose of Emerade can be given, in the same manner as the first.
• After administration, if you are conscious, it’s preferable that you lie down with your feet elevated (but if you have breathing difficulties you should sit up). If you’re unconscious then you should be placed in the recovery position.
• You should not be left on your own until the emergency services have arrived.

How long does it take Emerade to work?

Massaging the site of injection can help speed up the absorption of Emerade but in any case it is only a matter of seconds before Emerade begins to take effect. This is why Emerade is the best solution in emergencies.

It’s not clear from a clinical perspective how much adrenaline is required in any particular situation ^[1]and that is why it’s recommended that two pens are carried at all times. If the symptoms of anaphylaxis do not improve after five minutes, a second dose should be given.

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Emerade?

It’s important to make yourself, and also those who live and work closely with you, thoroughly aware of the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis as well as the correct method for administering Emerade.

If Emerade is administered by accident, it’s important to seek emergency medical assistance immediately. This is because receiving a dose of adrenaline when it is not needed can result in a dangerous increase in heart rate and blood pressure. If left untreated, this can be fatal.