The more you know about living with severe allergies, the more confident you'll be in avoiding triggers and handling anaphylaxis emergencies. The following organizations offer valuable information for patients and caregivers:
- The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network offers educational support and information about living with food allergies
www.foodallergy.org
- The Food Allergy Initiative is dedicated to the treatment and cure of food allergies
www.foodallergyinitiative.org
- The MedicAlert Foundation offers medical identification bracelets and tags designed to alert others to the wearer's allergies
www.medicalert.org
- All Allergy is an Internet directory of allergy organizations, articles, and resources for both patients and healthcare professionals
www.allallergy.net
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT TWINJECT: Twinject is indicated in the emergency treatment of severe allergic reaction (type I) including anaphylaxis to stinging insects and biting insects, allergen immunotherapy, foods, drugs, diagnostic testing substances, and other allergens, as well as anaphylaxis to unknown substance or exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
Since the dose of epinephrine delivered from Twinject 0.15 mg is fixed at 0.15 mg, the physician should consider other forms of injectable epinephrine if doses lower than 0.15 mg are felt to be necessary (eg, patients who weigh less than 15 kilograms [approximately 33 pounds]).
Twinject should only be injected into the anterolateral aspect of the thigh. Accidental injection into the hands or feet may result in loss of blood flow to the affected area and should be avoided. DO NOT INJECT INTO BUTTOCK. DO NOT INJECT INTRAVENOUSLY.
Epinephrine should be administered with caution to patients with cardiac arrhythmias, coronary artery or organic heart disease, or hypertension. In patients with coronary insufficiency or ischemic heart disease, epinephrine may precipitate or aggravate angina pectoris as well as produce ventricular arrhythmias. It should be recognized that the presence of these conditions is not a contraindication to epinephrine administration in an acute life-threatening situation. Adverse reactions to epinephrine include transient, moderate anxiety; apprehensiveness; restlessness; tremor; weakness; dizziness; sweating; palpitations; pallor; nausea and vomiting; headache; and/or respiratory difficulties.
Twinject is designed as an emergency supportive therapy only and is not a replacement or substitute for immediate medical care.
