Literally. “Epinephrine” and “adrenaline” are two names for the same substance. Both names mean “substance from above the kidneys”, in Greek and Latin respectively.
You just reminded me of the “adrenochrome” scene from Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas and I always wondered if that was really a thing. IIRC in the book, he dips the tip of a match into it and licks it, and that’s waaaaayyyy too much even at that miniscule dose.
And to just make sure that there’s added confusion, in the US “adrenalin” (no “e”) is a trademarked brand. (And “adrenaline” is trademarked for a variety of other. non-medical, products.)
If EMTs don’t carry epi-pens, what do they have? Is it injected?
Epi-pens are for non-skilled individuals to administer a set dose of a quick acting drug in an emergency. EMTs can administer a range of drugs tailored to the specific needs of a patient.
The EMTs gave me a dose of epinephrine and then some antihistamines, put me on oxygen, and I think gave me something else that I can’t recall. I came around very quickly.
Administered how?
With an IV.
I got my initial epinephrine by injection in the ambulance. Can’t remember if I got the antihistamines there or at the ER. I mean, I know I got some in the ER, just can’t remember if I got them in the ambulance, too. Also got oxygen, after which things did get clearer.
No IV in the ambulance. Apparently they were having trouble finding my blood pressure or something and my normally quite prominent veins had gone into hiding. They were at one point discussing doing something called a “cut down” but I verbally protested and one EMT said to the other “well, not while she’s conscious”. Pretty sure their subsequent questioning of me was to help judge whether or not I was conscious.
Being aware of coughing up about a pint of liquid out of my lungs was not fun. OK, probably not as much as I thought it was, but it was a hell of a lot more than should be coming out of one’s breathing apparatus.