UMEM Educational Pearls

Background: It is estimated that nearly 6% of U.S. adults and children report having a food allergy.^1,2 Epinephrine autoinjectors are used to provide life-saving pre-hospital treatment for patients experiencing anaphylaxis in the community, but can have serious consequences if administered incorrectly. Accidental finger-stick injuries with epinephrine auto-injector can result in significant pain and ischemia due to vasoconstriction and decreased blood flow to the digit. Treatments for digital epinephrine injection include supportive care, topical vasodilators, and injectable vasodilators.³

Supportive care^3,4:

• Warm compresses are preferred to increase local blood flow and enhance removal of the drug. Cold compresses may result in worsening ischemia. 
• Apply for 15 minutes every 6 hours

• Increases production of nitric oxide which relaxes smooth muscles and causes vasodilation
• Literature shows variable symptomatic improvement for adults and neonates, but safe use as an adjunct to injectable vasodilators or as monotherapy.
• Apply a 1-inch strip of nitroglycerin 2% ointment over the affected area and repeat every 8 hours until symptoms resolve
• Patients should be monitored for hypotension after application, as topical nitroglycerin is systemically absorbed.

• Alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist that competitively blocks alpha-adrenergic receptors to produce brief antagonism of circulating epinephrine and norepinephrine. Phentolamine also promotes vasodilation and increases capillary blood flow. 
• Evidence for use after accidental injection of epinephrine autoinjector is mostly described in case reports, but one study showed that phentolamine was more effective at vasodilation than either nitroglycerin or sodium nitroprusside for treatment of digital norepinephrine injection. In another study of epinephrine-injected patients, subjects reported normal fingertip sensation in an average of 120 minutes after injection of phentolamine compared to 549 minutes after injection of saline. It took an average of 85 minutes for the epinephrine-injected digits to return to normal color after phentolamine injection compared to an average of 320 minutes after injection with saline.
• Preparation/application: Dilute 5 mg of phentolamine in 10 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride. Inject small amounts subcutaneously into the affected area.

• Beta-2 adrenergic agonist that causes vasodilation and attenuates the effect of alpha adrenoreceptor-mediated vasoconstriction.
• Evidence shows that terbutaline has resulted in immediate and complete resolution of symptoms following accidental digital epinephrine injections if administered within 2 hours of the incident and it may be considered if phentolamine is not available.
• Preparation/application: Dilute 1 mg of terbutaline with 1 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride and inject subcutaneously into the affected area.
• May cause elevations in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as ECG changes. Terbutaline should be used cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease.

References