Epinephrine Ampule Dosing
One ampule of epinephrine typically contains 1 mg (1 mL of 1:1000 concentration), though 10 mL ampules containing 1 mg total (1:10,000 concentration) are also available. 1
Standard Ampule Formulations
The two most common ampule preparations you'll encounter are:
- 1 mL ampule at 1:1000 concentration = 1 mg epinephrine (1 mg/mL)
- 10 mL ampule at 1:10,000 concentration = 1 mg epinephrine (0.1 mg/mL)
Clinical Context for Anaphylaxis
When treating anaphylaxis, the standard dose is 0.01 mg/kg of 1:1000 (1 mg/mL) solution, with a maximum of 0.5 mg in adults and 0.3 mg in children, administered intramuscularly into the anterolateral thigh. 3
This means:
- For adults: Draw up 0.3-0.5 mL from the 1 mg/1 mL ampule
- For children: Draw up 0.01 mL/kg from the 1 mg/1 mL ampule (maximum 0.3 mL)
- For infants: 0.1-0.15 mg doses are appropriate 3
Important Caveats
The 1 mL (1:1000) ampule is faster to use than the 10 mL (1:10,000) ampule—approximately 16 seconds faster in emergency situations—making it the preferred choice for anaphylaxis. 2 However, the 10 mL ampule provides better dosing accuracy and is the standard preparation for IV infusions in septic shock. 1
Prefilled syringes are even faster than ampules (12+ seconds faster) and should be considered for high-acuity settings where seconds matter. 2