Cardiac arrest after Epinephrine in cats

34 reports to the FDA describe cardiac arrest in cats given Epinephrine. That is 40% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.8% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

34Reports
100%Marked serious
0.0%Recovered
76%Died or euthanised
Same dayTypical onset
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How soon it started

Same day
25 76%
1–2 days
5 15%
3–7 days
0 0.0%
1–4 weeks
2 6.1%
Over a month
1 3.0%

How the animals did

Still unwell when reported
7 21%
Died
24 71%
Euthanised
2 5.9%
Not known
1 2.9%

Problems reported at the same time

26 76%
Respiratory arrest
15 44%
Bradycardia
10 29%
Cyanosis
10 29%
Hypothermia
7 21%
Eye or vision problems
6 18%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year
16
1–3 years
6
4–7 years
4
8–11 years
2
12+ years
5

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Epinephrine cause cardiac arrest in cats?
34 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?
In half of the reports with dates, it started within the same day of the first dose.
What should I do?
Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Cardiac arrest with similar medicines

All reported side effects of Epinephrine in cats · Medicines most reported with cardiac arrest