Patient/caregiver was educated on contraindications for using Epinephrine as follows:
- Epinephrine can interact with a number of other medications and can precipitate serious reactions. If you are being newly started on epinephrine, discuss with your physician regarding all other medications, including OTC supplements you are currently taking and their safety with epinephrine. Also, if you have been taking epinephrine for long, discuss with your physician regarding your history of epinephrine intake, when you are being started on any new medication.
- Epinephrine use can result in narrowing of blood vessels, contributing to elevated blood pressure, headache, and dizziness. This can be a serious issue, especially in individuals with history of poorly controlled hypertension. Acutely elevated blood pressure in these individuals can significantly increase the risk for development of stroke. Epinephrine use may cause very rapid heart rate and can lead to even arrhythmias. Individuals can present with episodes of lightheadedness, dizziness, pounding heartbeat, and chest pain, due to arrhythmias secondary to epinephrine use. Epinephrine could be avoided or used with extreme caution in individuals with history of stroke, poorly controlled blood pressure, and arrhythmias.
- Beta-blocker drugs like metoprolol and atenolol, taken by individuals with complaint of tachycardia, lower the heart rate and provide relief. Concurrent epinephrine intake compromises the therapeutic benefit of intake of beta-blocker drugs, as epinephrine carries the risk of causing elevated heart rate. So, epinephrine intake is avoided along with beta-blocker drugs.
