adrenaline acid tartrate: prescribing and clinical use
Focused clinical detail for use alongside current product information, local policy and patient-specific assessment.
adrenaline acid tartrate: clinical details
Prescribing considerations
- Confirm the exact presentation and route; selected concentrated products are not for undiluted intravenous use.
- Use extra caution in older people and in cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, hypertension, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, phaeochromocytoma, renal impairment or cerebrovascular disease.
- Sodium metabisulfite should not deter emergency treatment of a serious allergic reaction.
Contraindications and cautions
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or an excipient; ampoule contraindications are relative in a life-threatening emergency.
- Do not use discoloured solution.
- Avoid injection into fingers, toes, ears, nose, genitalia or buttocks because of risk of tissue necrosis.
- The prefilled-syringe information additionally lists non-anaphylactic shock, narrow-angle glaucoma, labour and specified general anaesthetics.
Monitoring
- Assess airway, breathing and circulation continuously.
- Monitor pulse, blood pressure, ECG and pulse oximetry as soon as possible.
- Consider blood glucose, electrolytes or acid–base status where clinically indicated.
Clinical pharmacology
Adrenaline is an endogenous catecholamine and direct alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonist. Alpha-mediated vasoconstriction reverses vasodilatation, vascular leakage and hypotension; beta effects cause bronchodilation and cardiac stimulation.
Formulation and product differences
- One selected product is a single-use glass prefilled syringe with a needle in situ; the other is supplied in sealed glass ampoules and requires drawing up.
- Both contain sodium metabisulfite, must be protected from light, must not be frozen and must not be used if discoloured.
adrenaline acid tartrate preparations and strengths
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 1 mg/1 mL, 1 mg/mL
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.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.