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High-dose epinephrine
High-dose epinephrine is a catecholamine that acts as a non-selective adrenergic agonist, stimulating alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and cardiac output.
High-dose epinephrine is a catecholamine that acts as a non-selective adrenergic agonist, stimulating alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and cardiac output. Used for Cardiac arrest (ventricular fibrillation, pulseless ventricular tachycardia, asystole, pulseless electrical activity), Severe hypotension and shock, Anaphylaxis.
At a glance
| Generic name | High-dose epinephrine |
|---|---|
| Also known as | adrenaline |
| Sponsor | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
| Drug class | Catecholamine; adrenergic agonist |
| Target | Alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Cardiovascular; Emergency Medicine |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Epinephrine binds to alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors throughout the body. At high doses, it predominantly activates alpha-adrenergic receptors, causing vasoconstriction and increased systemic vascular resistance, while also enhancing myocardial contractility and heart rate via beta-1 receptor activation. This results in rapid increases in blood pressure and cardiac output, making it useful in acute cardiovascular emergencies.
Approved indications
- Cardiac arrest (ventricular fibrillation, pulseless ventricular tachycardia, asystole, pulseless electrical activity)
- Severe hypotension and shock
- Anaphylaxis
Common side effects
- Tachycardia
- Hypertension
- Arrhythmias
- Tremor
- Anxiety
- Headache
- Myocardial ischemia
Key clinical trials
- Sleep Loss and Circadian Misalignment - Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance (PHASE4)
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Type 1 Diabetes
- Ruxolitinib, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (uhCG/EGF), and Dose De-escalated Corticosteroids (PHASE1, PHASE2)
- First-in-Human Study of VNT-101: Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics (PHASE1)
- Venetoclax Basket Trial for High Risk Hematologic Malignancies (PHASE1)
- Treatment of Inflammatory Myelitis and Optic Neuritis With Early vs Rescue Plasma Exchange (TIMELY-PLEX) (PHASE3)
- The Additive Effect of Exercise in Addition to Corticosteroid Injection in Plantar Fasciitis (NA)
- A Study With Imlifidase in Anti-GBM Disease (PHASE3)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- High-dose epinephrine CI brief — competitive landscape report
- High-dose epinephrine updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai portfolio CI