TEMPERATURE STABILITY OF EPINEPHRINE UNDE R VARIOUS STORAGE-CONDITIONS

Epinephrine (EPI) is a standard emergency drug for which the producing companies give special storage recommendations (protection against he at and light). They are not always observed in everyday work especiall y in emergency medicine. This study examines whether the usual practic e of storage has a negative influence on the effective concentration o f EPI, In order to monitor only the influence of temperature, 1ml and 25ml ampules were packed opaquely and stored in different ambulances, at different locations in our hospital and in an incubator (40 degrees C). At the beginning of the study and after 12 months of storage ampu les were analyzed by HPLC and compared with a set of ampules (same lot numbers) correctly stored at the producing company. To achieve quanti tative results a calibration solution was prepared and analyzed. Ampul es stored in incubator showed the greatest loss of EPI within 12 month s. Central European climate in hospitals or ambulance cars influenced the degradation of EPI only moderately. Storage in environments with c ontinuous temperatures over 40 degrees C should be avoided. Time is al so a well-known factor in the degradation process of EPI and must be c onsidered. Under bad storage conditions ampules should be exchanged ea rlier.