adrenaline acid tartrate at a glance
Medicine class
A sympathomimetic catecholamine that stimulates alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors.
Usual role
Emergency treatment of anaphylaxis and acute allergic reactions, including allergy-related angioedema.
Administration
Selected products are injections normally given into the outer middle thigh muscle by a trained healthcare professional.
After treatment
Medical supervision and monitoring of pulse, blood pressure, heart rhythm and oxygen level are required.
What is adrenaline acid tartrate used for?
Selected products are licensed for emergency treatment of:
Anaphylaxis.
Acute allergic reactions, including acute allergy-related angioedema caused by medicines or other allergens.
How does adrenaline acid tartrate work?
Adrenaline narrows blood vessels, helping reverse low blood pressure and swelling. It opens the airways, supports the heart, and helps reduce hives, itching and angioedema.
adrenaline acid tartrate preparations and strengths
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 1 mg/1 mL, 1 mg/mL
How to take adrenaline acid tartrate
Selected products are emergency injections for trained healthcare professionals. Injection into the outer middle thigh muscle is preferred; injection under the skin is less effective. Selected concentrated injections must not be given undiluted into a vein. Follow the instructions for the exact presentation and do not use a discoloured solution or damaged packaging.
Medical observation is needed after administration.
The prefilled syringe is single-use; discard any remaining solution.
adrenaline acid tartrate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Frequency not known: fast or pounding heartbeat, palpitations or pallor.
- Frequency not known: anxiety, nervousness, fear, restlessness or tremor.
- Frequency not known: headache, dizziness, sweating, weakness, nausea, vomiting, or cold hands and feet.
Get urgent medical advice
- Chest pain, severely irregular heartbeat or collapse.
- Severe hypertension, sudden neurological symptoms or loss of consciousness.
- Severe breathlessness or signs of fluid in the lungs.
- Persistent pain, pallor or tissue damage around an injection site.
- New severe allergic reaction or bronchospasm, including possible sensitivity to sodium metabisulfite.
adrenaline acid tartrate in pregnancy
Anaphylaxis in pregnancy requires immediate emergency assessment. Selected product information advises use only when clearly necessary or when expected benefit outweighs fetal risk, with particular caution during the second stage of labour. While awaiting help, a pregnant person with anaphylaxis should lie on their left side.
adrenaline acid tartrate while breastfeeding
Selected product information states that adrenaline enters breast milk and advises avoiding breastfeeding in mothers receiving the injection. Seek prompt advice from maternity, paediatric or specialist pharmacy teams after exposure.
adrenaline acid tartrate interactions
In an emergency, clinicians should treat the life-threatening reaction while accounting for medicines that may alter adrenaline’s effects or toxicity.
Non-selective beta-blockers, such as propranolol
May reduce cardiac and airway responses while increasing risk of severe hypertension and reflex slowing of the heart.
Tricyclic antidepressants
May intensify effects on blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm.
Common questions about adrenaline acid tartrate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is adrenaline acid tartrate the same as adrenaline?
It is the acid-tartrate salt used to formulate adrenaline for injection. The active component is adrenaline, also called epinephrine.
How quickly does it work?
Its action begins rapidly after injection into muscle.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.