Time for a medical question

[Alpo]

Do they routinely carry EpiPens in ambulances?

 

I have absolutely no knowledge of my own about the effect of an EpiPen. Television and movies, that's all. But in television and movies, they stabbed somebody with it and kazzam - they're fine. Whatever allergy they were dying from that EpiPen cured it immediately.

 

I'm just watching a clip from a show - TV show I presume - called Freaks and Geeks. The one boy says that if he eats a peanut he could die. Couple of the local bullies decided they would see if he was lying or not so while he was over talking to someone else they put some peanuts in his sandwich.

 

The next scene they have him on a gurney rushing him to the ambulance to take him to the hospital ---

 

I can understand he's going into anaphylactic shock. But wouldn't they stab him with the EpiPen and that would bring him out of it? Or would they not have an EpiPen on the ambulance?

 

Of course this could simply be wanting to make a very dramatic statement for the television show.

[Buckshot Bear]

4 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Do they routinely carry EpiPens in ambulances?

 

 

 

In Australia - Yes 

[El Chapo]

Given that epi is used basically every time someone tries to die and has to be revived in the hospital, whether it's an in auto injector or the paramedic has to put it in a syringe first, I'm pretty sure even the most basic of ambulances is going to have it on board.

[Alpo]

16 minutes ago, El Chapo said:

Given that epi is used basically every time someone tries to die and has to be revived in the hospital

Really? I thought it was just used for those allergy reactions.

 

See what happens when you try to get your medical knowledge off television.

[watab kid]

im going to say yes without any personal knowledge - i think they have that narcam stuff too in case they encounter an overdose victim , they need to be ready for most any emergency and i suspect they have everything available known to man these days that is legal , 

 

ive only been in an ambulance once since 1972 - a couple years ago wjhen i had my heart attack , it went smoothly and i can say they were the most attentive people ive encountered in all these years when i was in need , it was a mayo bus and crew - they were great , the rig had everything to monitor till i got to the hospital , even left me with a teddy bear ...........not sure what that was all about but the dog was appreciative - he snuggled right up to it , i still have it and i think ill keep it as the dog rather likes it 

[Longfoot]

Id be very surprised if they're not carrying a few ampules of epinephrine and syringes for injection. They may also have a few epipens.

[Dapper Dave]

Epi pens, narcan, absolutely, small and easy to carry even in limited space. 

[Eyesa Horg]

Last I knew our local ambulance carries both Epi Pens and Narcan.

[Chantry]

EPI Pen = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epinephrine_(medication)

[Sheriff Dill]

They now have Epi’s that are a nasal mist just like the Narcan. 

[Blackwater 53393]

After the epinephrine was administered, they would still transport the victim.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Good grief...

Those bullies should be charged with attempted murder.

[Alpo]

16 minutes ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

Good grief...

Those bullies should be charged with attempted murder.

 

[Alpo]

22 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

After the epinephrine was administered, they would still transport the victim.

I didn't think about that.

 

I was thinking more like - you are at home. You cut yourself. Your wife or your mother or somebody else with the authority to do something like that bandages the cut. And that's the end of it. The medical emergency has been fixed. There's no need to take you to the doctor.

 

So I was thinking similar. The ambulance arrives, they jab him. Now he's breathing. He's not turning blue anymore. Medical emergency has been fixed. No need to take him to the doctor.

 

But I guess when you call an ambulance you're going to the doctor.

[Blackwater 53393]

The directions on the epinephrine pen or bottle tell you to go to the hospital if you have to use it!

 

Schoolmarm carries a pen at all times!  When the pen is issued to the person, those directions are read to them by the pharmacist!

 

As a teacher, she was instructed in how to use the pen. As a certified youth sports coach and umpire, I was taught the same thing!! Parents of kids with bee sting allergies and the like are requested to make arrangements to have pens at the site for emergencies!

 

Edited February 5 by Blackwater 53393

[El Chapo]

8 hours ago, Alpo said:

Really? I thought it was just used for those allergy reactions.

 

See what happens when you try to get your medical knowledge off television.

 

I'm not sure what every drug is on the code cart since that is my wife's side of the house and not mine.

 

But I can tell you from the stories she's told me, if you code, you're getting a ton of epinephrine.  And if the old cardiologist who works at her hospital is there, he will call for "the big epi" in his thick accent. 

 

In this scenario, there's about an 80% chance you die from what I understand and a bunch of your ribs (and maybe your sternum) are broken, but if it's your lucky day, you might be in that 20%.