epinephrine vs theophylline
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Side-by-side comparison of epinephrine and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
( 7 .3) Potassium-depleting drugs, including corticosteroids, diuretics, and theophylline, potentiate the hypokalemic effects of epinephrine. • β-blockers, such as propranolol • Cyclopropane or halogenated hydrocarbon anesthetics, such as halothane • Antihistamines • Thyroid hormones • Diuretics • Cardiac glycosides, such as digitalis glycosides • Quinidine 7.4 Drugs Potentiating Hypokalemic Effects of Epinephrine • Potassium depleting diuretics • Corticosteroids • Theophylline
EpiPen, Adrenalin
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Epinephrine injection is a medicine that raises blood pressure. It is used for adults with very low blood pressure due to septic shock.
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
Epinephrine injection is used to increase blood pressure in adults. It is specifically for those who have low blood pressure because of septic shock. Septic shock is a severe condition caused by infection.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Epinephrine works on alpha and beta receptors in your body. This causes your blood vessels to narrow and your heart to beat stronger and faster. As a result, your blood pressure increases.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
- • Headache
- • Anxiety
- • Feeling restless
- • Shaking
- • Weakness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Headache 4,161
- Sinusitis 3,917
- Fatigue 3,761
- Dyspnoea 3,215
- Pain 3,151
- Dyspnoea 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,318
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
Your blood pressure will be checked often while you are taking this medicine. Epinephrine can raise your blood pressure too high. It can also cause fluid to build up in your lungs. Epinephrine may cause irregular heartbeats or reduce blood flow to the heart. Avoid leakage of the medicine into the tissues, as this can cause tissue damage. This medicine contains sulfite, which can cause allergic reactions.
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
Epinephrine may harm your unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Epinephrine can also slow down labor.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
How to Read This epinephrine vs theophylline Comparison
epinephrine is classified in the Adrenergic Agonist drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, epinephrine has 18,205 submissions while theophylline has 7,940. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs can lower the amount of potassium in your blood. taking them together makes this effect stronger, which could lead to dangerously low potassium levels.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for epinephrine or theophylline.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.