Auvi-Q Injection: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Auvi-Q Injection is a prescription auto-injector containing epinephrine, used for the emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). It gives spoken and visual prompts to guide you through the injection. It works by acting on alpha and beta receptors to raise blood pressure, open the airways, and reduce allergic symptoms. It is available in three strengths for different age and weight groups.

What is Auvi-Q Injection

Auvi-Q is a prescription auto-injector medicine used for emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). It contains epinephrine and gives spoken and visual prompts to guide you through the injection.

Auvi-Q Injection uses

• Emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) caused by stinging or biting insects, foods, drugs, allergy shots, exercise, or unknown causes
• Treatment of allergic reactions in people known to be at increased risk of anaphylaxis, including those with a history of anaphylactic reactions

Benefits of Auvi-Q Injection

• First-line emergency treatment for anaphylaxis
• Helps open swollen airways
• Improves breathing
• Helps raise dangerously low blood pressure
• Can rapidly reduce severe allergic-reaction symptoms

How Auvi-Q Injection works

Auvi-Q contains epinephrine, which acts on both alpha and beta receptors in the body. It narrows blood vessels to raise blood pressure, relaxes airway muscles to ease breathing problems, and reduces fluid leakage from blood vessels. It also helps relieve itching, hives, swelling, and stomach or urinary symptoms caused by anaphylaxis.

Auvi-Q Injection dosage

Inject only into the middle of the outer thigh; it can be given through clothing if necessary. Do not inject into a vein, the buttock, or into fingers, toes, hands, or feet. Each device delivers only one dose and cannot be reused.

If you are giving an injection to a young child or infant, hold their leg firmly in place and limit movement before and during the injection to prevent injury. If symptoms do not improve or get worse, a second dose may be given starting about 5 minutes after the first, using a new device. Always carry two devices with you in case a second dose is needed.

After using the device, seek emergency medical care right away, even if you feel better. Practice regularly with the trainer device, which has no needle or medicine, so you are ready to use the real device in an emergency.

Available forms and strengths

• Pre-filled auto-injector, 0.3 mg/0.3 mL epinephrine injection
• Pre-filled auto-injector, 0.15 mg/0.15 mL epinephrine injection
• Pre-filled auto-injector, 0.1 mg/0.1 mL epinephrine injection

Side effects of Auvi-Q Injection

Common

• Fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat
• Sweating
• Shakiness
• Headache
• Paleness
• Feeling overly excited, nervous, or anxious
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Breathing problems

Serious

• Accidental injection into a vein, buttock, finger, toe, hand, or foot causing loss of blood flow to that area
• Serious skin and soft tissue infections at the injection site, including rare cases of gas gangrene
• Dangerous rises in blood pressure that can lead to bleeding in the brain, especially in elderly patients
• Fast or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), including rare fatal cases
• Chest pain or angina in people with coronary artery disease
• Rare cases of stress-related heart muscle weakness (stress cardiomyopathy)

Warnings and precautions

• Auvi-Q is only for emergency treatment and does not replace the need for immediate medical care. After using it, you must still get emergency medical help right away.
• Only inject into the outer thigh. Never inject into a vein, the buttock, or into fingers, toes, hands, or feet, since this can cause serious injury such as loss of blood flow to the area or dangerous spikes in blood pressure.
• Injecting into the buttock can rarely cause a serious infection called gas gangrene. Cleaning the skin with alcohol does not prevent this risk.
• Rare but serious skin and tissue infections at the injection site have been reported. Seek medical care if you notice ongoing redness, warmth, swelling, or tenderness at the injection site.
• This product contains a sulfite preservative. Even though sulfites can cause allergic reactions in some sensitive people, this should not stop you from using Auvi-Q in a life-threatening emergency, since other treatment options may not work as well.
• Use with caution if you have heart disease, since epinephrine can worsen chest pain (angina) or cause dangerous heart rhythm problems.
• Use with caution if you have an overactive thyroid, diabetes, or Parkinson's disease, or if you are elderly or pregnant, since these conditions may increase the risk of side effects or temporarily worsen symptoms.
• When giving an injection to a young child or infant, hold their leg firmly in place and limit movement before and during the shot to avoid injury, since children may kick or move.
• It is not known if Auvi-Q will harm an unborn baby. Epinephrine should only be used during pregnancy if the possible benefit justifies the possible risk, but it is still the first-choice treatment for anaphylaxis during pregnancy and should be used the same way as in women who are not pregnant.
• It is not known if epinephrine passes into breast milk or affects a nursing baby, but it should still be used the same way in breastfeeding women as in anyone else having an anaphylactic reaction.
• Tell your healthcare provider if you have kidney problems before using this medicine. No routine dose adjustment is used during anaphylaxis for liver conditions.
• Alcohol should never delay epinephrine treatment. Inject only into the outer thigh.
• Do not drive yourself after anaphylaxis or epinephrine use; emergency medical evaluation is needed.

Storage

• Store at 68° to 77°F (20° to 25°C)
• Do not expose to extreme heat or cold; for example, do not store in a vehicle's glove box
• Do not store in the refrigerator or freezer
• Keep the device in its outer case to protect it from light
• Check the solution in the viewing window from time to time; it should be clear and colorless
• Replace the device if the solution is discolored (pink or darker than slightly yellow), cloudy, or contains particles
• Replace the device before its expiration date
• Keep out of the reach of children
• Take the used device to a healthcare provider for proper disposal; never throw it in regular trash

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help right away after every use of Auvi-Q, even if your symptoms start to improve.
• If you accidentally inject Auvi-Q into a vein, buttock, finger, toe, hand, or foot, go to the nearest hospital emergency room immediately and tell the staff exactly where the injection occurred.
• Call your healthcare provider right away if you notice redness that doesn't go away, swelling, tenderness, or warmth at an injection site, as this could be a sign of infection.
• If you think you have used too much epinephrine, contact your healthcare provider or poison control right away, or go to the nearest emergency room, especially if you have symptoms like numbness, severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in the neck or ears, chest pain, or trouble breathing.

Alternatives

• EpiPen
• Adrenaclick
• Symjepi