Allergy Pens for Schools : EpiPen/Jext

EpiPen

EpiPen comes in the form of a pre-filled epinephrine syringe in an automatic injection system (Autoinjector). This system injects a single dose of adrenaline into the muscle.

This medicine is for emergency situations only and you should see your doctor immediately after using your Autoinjector. Adrenaline is a hormone naturally secreted in response to stress. In acute allergic reactions, it works by improving blood pressure, heart, and respiratory function, and reduces swelling. Adrenaline is also known as epinephrine. EpiPen is used in the emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions or (anaphylaxis) caused by peanuts or other foods, medications, insect bites or stings, and other allergens, as well as exercise or an unknown cause.

Jext

Jext is a single-use pre-filled pen designed for easy use. The pre-filled pen is operated simply by pressing the black tip of the injector against the outer thigh. This will activate a plunger, which pushes a hidden needle through the membrane at the tip of the black injector into the muscle and injects a dose of adrenaline.

EpiPen

Adrenaline (epinephrine) is a catecholamine naturally secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to effort or stress. It is a sympathomimetic amine that potently activates the α and β adrenergic receptors and their effects on the target organs are therefore complex. Adrenaline (epinephrine) has an intense vasoconstrictor action through αadrenergic stimulation. This activity counteracts vasodilation and increases vascular permeability, which can cause loss of intravascular fluid volume and consequently hypotension, which are the main pharmaco-toxicological characteristics during anaphylactic reactions. Through this stimulation of bronchial β-adrenergic receptors, adrenaline (epinephrine) has a powerful bronchodilator action that relieves wheezing and dyspnea. Adrenaline (epinephrine) also mitigates the pruritus, urticaria, and angioedema associated with anaphylaxis.

Jext

Adrenaline is a catecholamine that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (alpha and beta receptors), thereby increasing heart rate, cardiac output, and coronary circulation. Through its action on the beta receptors of the bronchial smooth muscle, adrenaline causes relaxation of this muscle, which relieves wheezing and dyspnea.

EpiPen

Indicated for the emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) caused by peanuts or other foods, medications, bites or stings from insects and other allergens as well such as that caused by exercise or idiopathic anaphylaxis.

Jext

Jext contains a sterile epinephrine solution inside an autoinjector for the emergency injection of a single dose of epinephrine into the outside of the thigh muscle (intramuscular injection). Jext is used for emergency treatment of sudden life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylactic "shock"), to bites or bites of insects, food, medicine, or exercise. Symptoms that signal the onset of an anaphylactic reaction occur within minutes after exposure to the allergen and include: itchy skin, rash (such as hives); hot flushes; swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, hands, and feet; whistles hoarseness; difficulty breathing; sickness; vomiting abdominal cramps and, in some cases, loss of consciousness.

EpiPen

Always carry two auto-injectors with you in case the first administration fails, or one dose is insufficient. Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you.

If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

It is injected only in the thigh. For single use only, please make sure you dispose of it safely, immediately after use. EpiPen releases a single 0.3 ml dose of fluid that is equivalent to 0.3 mg (300 micrograms) of adrenaline. After use, a volume of 0.75 ml remains in the auto-injector and must not be reused.

The allergic reaction normally begins minutes after exposure to the allergen, and the person may experience:

Itchy skin, hives, redness, and swelling of the eyes, lips, or tongue. Breathing difficulty due to swelling of the throat. Wheezing, shortness of breath, and cough from hardening of the muscles of the lungs. Other symptoms of anaphylaxis such as headaches, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Collapse and loss of consciousness due to a sharp drop in blood pressure.

If you experience these signs and symptoms, use the EpiPen Auto-Injector immediately. You should only inject this medication on the outer thigh, never on the buttock.

Sometimes a single dose of adrenaline may not be enough to completely reverse the effects of a severe allergic reaction. For this reason, your doctor may prescribe more than one unit of EpiPen. If your symptoms have not improved or have worsened within 5 - 15 minutes after the first injection, either you or the person you are with should give a second injection. For this reason, you should always carry more than one EpiPen unit with you.

Use in adults

The normal dose is 0.30 mg.

Overweight people may need more than one injection to reverse the effect of an allergic reaction.

Use in children and adolescents

The appropriate dose is 0.15 mg or 0.30 mg.

This depends on the child's body weight and the doctor's judgment.

Children and adolescents over 30 kg should use EpiPen 0.30 mg.

Auto-injectors that release 0.15 mg of adrenaline are also available.

A dose below 0.15 mg cannot be administered with sufficient accuracy in children weighing less than 15 kg, so its use is not recommended unless the situation poses a risk to their health and under medical judgment.

Instructions for use

It is recommended that your family members, caregivers, or teachers are also trained in the correct use of the EpiPen allergy treatment auto-injector.

Revolving Solution Window Sleeve: Rotate the cover over the Solution Window to align the lens with the Auto-Injector Solution Window.

Solution window: Look through the lens of this window before injection to verify that the solution is clear and ready for use.

Injection indicator: Before injection, you can see a white plastic plunger through the window. This indicates that the EpiPen Auto-Injector has not been mistakenly activated or tampered with. After injection, the injection indicator turns red, indicating that the Auto-Injector has been successfully activated.

Black Needle Guard (Reversible): Protects the needle when you are not using the EpiPen Auto-Injector. Pull off the needle guard before injection. After injection, the patient should rotate the black needle guard and put it back on the same end of the EpiPen Auto-Injector to cover the needle.

Gray safety cap: This covers the red injector button. Prevents the button from being pressed by mistake.

Checking the EpiPen Auto-Injector

1. Rotate the cover protecting the solution window fully in the direction shown by the arrows to align the lens with the solution window on the Auto-Injector.
2. Look through the lens in the solution window and check that the solution is clear and colourless. Discard the EpiPen Auto-Injector if the solution is cloudy, coloured, or contains particles.
3. Make sure the injection indicator is not red. If it is red, it means that the EpiPen Auto-Injector has already been activated and must be discarded.
4. Rotate the sleeve over the solution window fully as indicated by the arrows, to ensure that the solution window is covered. Put the EpiPen Auto-Injector back into the container until you need to use it.

Using the EpiPen Auto-Injector

If the black needle guard has been removed, do not put your thumb, fingers, or hand over the open end (needle end) of the EpiPen Auto-Injector.

You must follow the following steps to use the EpiPen Auto-Injector:

1. Remove the black needle guard by pulling hard in the direction of the arrow. This also removes a gray needle safety cover.
2. Remove the gray safety cap from the red injector button, pulling as indicated by the arrow
3. Support the open end (needle end) of EpiPen against the outer thigh. If necessary, EpiPen can be used through light clothing, such as jeans, cotton, or polyester.
4. Press the red injector button until a click is heard. Hold the EpiPen Auto-Injector against the thigh for 10 seconds. Slowly remove EpiPen from the thigh. Lightly massage the injection site.
5. The injection indicator will have turned red. This shows that the injection has been completed. If it is not red, you must repeat the injection with a new EpiPen,
6. After injection, the needle is exposed. To cover it, turn the black needle guard over and with the wide end press the needle into the open end (needle end) of the EpiPen Auto-Injector (as indicated by the arrow).

EpiPen is designed as an emergency treatment. You should always seek medical help immediately after the use of EpiPen.

Jext

Always use the Jext adrenaline auto-injector exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Make sure you understand in which situations you should use Jext. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Adults and children over 30 Kg - The recommended dose for allergic emergencies is 300 micrograms of adrenaline for injection into the outer thigh (intramuscular use).

Children between 15 Kg and 30 Kg -The recommended dose for allergic emergencies is 150 micrograms of adrenaline for injection into the outer thigh (intramuscular use). Remember: The appropriate dose of Jext depends on body weight. The dose should be increased as the child grows and it will be necessary to consult with the doctor.

If you detect signs of an acute allergic reaction, use Jext immediately, including through clothing if necessary.

After use, some liquid will remain in the autoinjector, but should not be reused.

Sometimes a single dose of adrenaline may not be enough to completely negate the effects of a severe allergic reaction. For this reason, your doctor may prescribe more than one Jext unit. If your symptoms have not improved or have worsened within 5-15 minutes after the first injection, either you or the person you are with should give a second injection. For this reason, you should always carry more than one Jext unit with you.

Administration method

Jext is designed so that it can be used through clothing or directly through the skin of the outer thigh.

Jext should be pressed vigorously on the outer thigh at the longest part of the thigh muscle. Pressing Jext vigorously against the thigh activates a spring that activates the plunger, pulling the hidden needle through the membrane at the end of the black needle cover, in the direction of the thigh muscle, injecting a dose of adrenaline.

Instructions for use

Before you need to use it, you should be thoroughly familiar with Jext, when and how you should use it. During instruction in the proper use of Jext, your doctor can use a Jext Simulator to make sure that you, other family members, or your caregivers are sure of what to do if an allergic emergency occurs.

It is recommended that your family members, caregivers, or teachers are also trained in the correct use of the Jext auto-injector. If you are a caregiver, you should instruct the patient not to move and, if necessary, immobilize the patient's leg during the injection to minimize the risk of lacerations.

The auto-injector is for single use only and cannot be reused.

Follow these instructions only when you are ready to use it:

Never put your thumb, feet, or hand on the black needle cover as this is where the needle comes out.

Never remove the yellow cap until Jext is to be used.

For proper administration, look at the diagrams and follow these steps:

1. Hold the Jext injector with your dominant hand (the one you use to write), with your thumb next to the yellow cap.
2. With the other hand, remove the yellow cap.
3. Place the black end of the injector on the outside of the thigh, holding the injector at a right angle (90º approx.) to the thigh.
4. Press the black end of the injector vigorously on the outside of the thigh until a click is heard to confirm that the injection has started, then hold it down. Hold the injector firmly in that position on the thigh for 10 seconds (count slowly up to 10) and then remove it. The black end will automatically extend by hiding the needle.
5. Massage the injection site for 10 seconds.

EpiPen

Like all medicines, the EpiPen Allergy injector can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

EpiPen contains sodium metabisulfite (E223), which can cause allergic reactions and difficulty breathing, especially in cases where there is a history of asthma. You should seek medical help immediately if you experience these side effects.

Frequent adverse effects of adrenaline include a feeling of pounding heartbeats (palpitations), fast or irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, paleness, tremors, headaches, apprehension, nervousness, anxiety and coldness in extremities.

Other less common side effects include hallucinations, fainting, dilated pupils, difficulty urinating, muscle tremors, increased blood pressure, and blood changes such as high sugar levels, low potassium levels, and high acid content.

Occasionally, at high doses, or in susceptible patients, a sharp increase in blood pressure can be observed, which can cause bleeding in the brain, irregular heartbeat or heart attack, and decreased blood flow in the skin, mucosa, and kidneys.

Jext

Like all medicines, this adrenaline auto-injector can have side effects, although not everybody gets them.

The following side effects are based on experience with the use of adrenaline (frequency unknown: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)

• Heart rhythm disturbances such as fast and irregular heartbeat, feeling your own heartbeat, chest pain
• High blood pressure, narrowing of blood vessels
• Sweating
• Nausea, vomiting
• Breathing difficulty
• Headache, dizziness, fainting
• Weakness, tremor
• Anxiety, hallucinations
• Changes in the blood such as increased sugar levels, decreased potassium levels, harmful accumulation of acid in the body

Accidental injection of adrenaline into the hands or feet has been reported, which can cause a lack of blood supply to the affected area. In case of accidental injection always seek medical help immediately. Jext contains sodium metabisulfite, which could rarely cause hypersensitivity reactions including respiratory distress

You can buy both the EpiPen and Jext Adrenaline Auto-Injectors online through one of the UK’s leading online pharmacies, Pharmacy Planet. It's easy and convenient. You will need to fill out a short assessment and the item will be delivered directly to your door. If you want to buy either the EpiPen Auto-Injector or the Jext Auto-Injector online, use Pharmacy Planet, a UK pharmacy you can trust.