I know that epipens are mostly used if someone is having an extremely bad allergic reaction, but would an epipen also be an effective first aid treatment for a heart attack since it administers a dose of epinephrine (adrenaline)?
2007-12-10 14:21:17 · 9 answers · asked by Justin 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Different medications are given for different heart problems. Without an EKG you don't know what is happening to the heart. A person can be unconcious and for a rescuer with no medical training, it is very hard to find a pulse. So you could be giving epi, when a different therapy is needed.
The best thing you can do is call 911 and give the person a 325 mg aspirin at the onset of a heart attack if they are concious and able to chew and swallow. (chew the aspirin then swallow)
If the person goes unconcious with no pulse, start CPR. Keep doing CPR until help arrives. If an AED is available, use it.
Learn CPR, every patient that I've ever had to live with a good quality of life had CPR started on them as soon as they went unconcious without a pulse CPR was continued until help arrived.
2007-12-10 14:42:55 · answer #1 · answered by Spamwurst 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
An epipen isn't an effective FIRST AID Tx for a heart attack. Yes, adrenaline can be used to jump start a heart but only for certain reasons pertaining to why a myocardial infarction (hear attack) occurs or else it'll be harmful. For example, if a person took too high a dose of barbituates (eg: heroin), then adrenaline can be administered to the heart to start it up again. The dosage needed would be different than what's in the the epipen. In fact, a much higher dosage would be used. Plus epipens are only designed to slightly go under your skin. It wouldn't be able to penetrate your heart.
2007-12-10 15:49:12 · answer #2 · answered by BITBoston 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
EpiPens should be used with caution in people with heart problems. They can actually cause cardiac problems, which is why they recommend one go to the ER after injection. I would not recommend injecting someone having a heart attack and not an allergic reaction.
2007-12-10 14:28:24 · answer #3 · answered by obuprincess 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I looked up epipen on the internet and it said it delivers one 0.3mg dose. Now I work in a hospital pharmacy and know that when we get back crash cart trays they sometimes go through multiple Epinephrine 1mg/10ml syringes. So I seriously doubt one little 0.3mg shot is going to do much. You would probably do better giving them an aspirin tablet.
2007-12-10 14:35:05 · answer #4 · answered by pill_pushr 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they used to use epi-pens to treat cardiac arrest. There was a nurse who was a murderer who used to use epi-pens to STOP someone's heart, then the doc would come in and administer MORE epi. It was a special on serial killers.
Probably would be best used in conjunction with those paddles (can't think of the word right now) i doubt if it would work with CPR.
Epi-pens can also treat an asthma attack, just if anyone needed to know that. lol.
2007-12-10 14:34:45 · answer #5 · answered by MuñecaBarbie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No more then likely it would make it worse. I know this because i am an EMT student and we just learned about this. You have a better bet giving them childrens chewables.
2007-12-10 14:52:29 · answer #6 · answered by Jenna V 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in certain instances it might be. but you would not know when that was appropriate without a heart monitor. given in the wrong instance it could prove fatal
2007-12-10 14:25:42 · answer #7 · answered by Chris E 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it could, but also may cause more trouble. that is what they administer at the hospital for heart attack! so maybe it is wortha shot!
2007-12-10 14:25:03 · answer #8 · answered by momma_m_47280 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I always wondered this too. And would you have to stab it in the heart or would the thigh still do?
2007-12-10 14:32:55 · answer #9 · answered by Rockford 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋