Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What is an epi-pen and how can it treat a food allergy?

    Related Topics
    Allergy Food Allergies
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • 1

    Thanks

    Joy Anderson

    Dietitian, Nutritionist

    Joy is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist, as well as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She has a special interest in … View Profile

    An epi-pen contains adrenaline. It is used when an allergic person is having or is suspected of having an anaphylactic reaction after accidental exposure to the food that the person is allergic to. Anaphylaxis has the potential to be fatal due to stopping the person being able to breathe (via swelling of the windpipe) and also from a whole-body fall in blood pressure. Adrenaline reverses these effects to get the person over the critical minutes of this severe reaction. Any person given adrenaline for an allergic reaction or suspected of have anaphylaxis needs to see a doctor straight away even it they look like they have recovered.

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
    Reply to this post

    You must be a Health Professional to reply to this post. to your account or now (it's free).

answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices