Instructions for Use

Please see the Instructions For Use that came with your GlucaGen® HypoKit® for complete information.

Click here to download the Instructions For Use for GlucaGen® HypoKit®

Preparing the GlucaGen® Dose:

The GlucaGen® medicine comes as a dry powder. Before you use GlucaGen®, you must mix the dry powder with the syringe of sterile water that comes in the GlucaGen® HypoKit®. Do not use any other liquid to mix the medicine. Check that the orange plastic cap on your vial of GlucaGen® is firmly attached. Do not use the vial of GlucaGen® if the orange plastic cap is loose or missing.

Two hands removing cap off the GlucaGen® vial

Step 1. Using your thumb, flip the orange plastic cap off the GlucaGen® vial.

Two hands pulling the needle cover straight off of the syringe

Step 2. Pick up the prefilled syringe containing sterile water. Hold the syringe with 1 hand and with your other hand, pull the needle cover off the syringe. Do not remove the plastic backstop from the syringe.

Two hands pushing the needle of the prefilled syringe through the center of the rubber stopper

Step 3. Pick up the GlucaGen® vial. Hold the vial of dry powder with 1 hand and with your other hand, push the needle of the prefilled syringe through the center of the rubber stopper.

Two hands turning the vial and syringe together right side up then slowly pushing the plunger down until the syringe is empty

Step 4. Hold the vial and syringe together, with the needle still inserted into the vial. Carefully turn the vial and syringe together right side up. Slowly push the plunger down until the syringe is empty. Do not take the syringe out of the vial.

A hand shaking the vial

Step 5. Hold the entire unit (the vial and syringe) in one hand and gently shake the vial until the powder is completely dissolved. Do not use if a gel has formed, or if you see particles in the solution. Do not take the syringe out of the vial.

Two hands turning the vial and syringe together upside down then pulling down on the plunger and slowly withdrawing the liquid into the syringe

Step 6. Firmly hold the vial and syringe together, with the needle still inserted into the vial. Carefully turn the vial and syringe together upside down. Gently pull down on the plunger and slowly withdraw all of the liquid into the syringe. Do not pull the plunger out of the syringe.

One hand holding the needle inside the vial and the other hand tapping the syringe to push air bubbles to the vial

Step 7. Keep the needle inside the vial. Check the syringe for air bubbles. If you see bubbles, tap the syringe until the bubbles rise to the top of the syringe. Gently push on the plunger to move only the air bubbles back into the vial.

A hand holding the syringe above the vial with the needle still inside

Step 8. Hold the vial and syringe as shown. 

  • The usual dose for adults and children who weigh more than 55 pounds (25 kg) is 1 mg (1 mL). Use the content of the full syringe (1 mL).
  • The usual dose for children who weigh less than 55 pounds (25 kg) is 0.5 mg (0.5 mL). Gently push the plunger until it is at the 0.5 mL mark on the syringe to make sure there is 0.5 mL liquid left in the syringe.

Take the syringe and needle out of the vial when the correct dose of GlucaGen® is in the syringe.

If you do not know how much the child weighs:

  • Give a child under 6 years of age 0.5 mg (0.5 mL).
  • Give a child 6 years of age and older 1 mg (1 mL).

Giving the GlucaGen® Injection:

Common injection sites

Step 9. Choose the injection site. Common injection sites for GlucaGen® are upper arms, thighs, or buttocks.

A hand pinching skin while another hand is injecting needle

Step 10. With one hand, gently pinch the skin at the injection site. With your other hand, insert the needle into the skin and push the syringe plunger down until the syringe is empty.

After Giving the GlucaGen® Injection:

A hand pressing on injection site

Step 11. Pull the needle out of the skin and press on the injection site.

Throw away your used syringe with the needle attached and any GlucaGen® you did not use. See “How should I dispose of (throw away) used GlucaGen® prefilled syringes” at the end of these instructions.

Step 12. Turn the person on their side. When an unconscious person awakens, they may vomit. Turning the person on their side will lessen the chance of choking.

Step 13. Call for emergency medical help right away.

Step 14. Feed the person as soon as they are awake and able to swallow. Give the person a fast-acting source of sugar (such as a regular soft drink or fruit juice) and a long-acting source of sugar (such as crackers and cheese or a meat sandwich).

Step 15. If the patient does not awaken within 15 minutes, give another dose of GlucaGen®. Call your doctor and get emergency help right away. 

Step 16. Even if the GlucaGen® treatment wakes the person, tell their doctor right away. The doctor should be told whenever a severe drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia reaction) happens. The person’s dose of diabetes medicine may need to be changed. 

Hypoglycemia may happen again after receiving GlucaGen®treatment.

Early symptoms of hypoglycemia may include: 

  • sweating
  • drowsiness
  • dizziness
  • sleep disturbances 
  • irregular heartbeat (palpitation) 
  • anxiety 
  • tremor 
  • blurred vision 
  • hunger 
  • slurred speech 
  • restlessness
  • depressed mood
  • tingling in the hands, feet, lips, or tongue 
  • irritability 
  • abnormal behavior 
  • lightheadedness 
  • unsteady movement 
  • inability to concentrate 
  • personality changes 
  • headache 

If not treated early, hypoglycemia may worsen and the person may have severe hypoglycemia. Signs of severe hypoglycemia include: 

  • confusion 
  • unconsciousness 
  • seizures 
  • death 

How should I dispose of (throw away) GlucaGen® prefilled syringes?

  • Put used syringes in a FDA-cleared sharps disposal container right away after use. Do not throw away (dispose of) loose needles and syringes in your household trash.
  • If you do not have a FDA-cleared sharps disposal container, you may use a household container that is:
    • made of a heavy-duty plastic,
    • can be closed with a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid, without sharps being able to come out,
    • upright and stable during use,
    • leak-resistant, and
    • properly labeled to warn of hazardous waste inside the container.
  • When your sharps disposal container is almost full, you will need to follow your community guidelines for the right way to dispose of your sharps disposal container. There may be state or local laws about how you should throw away used needles and syringes. For more information about safe sharps disposal, and for specific information about sharps disposal in the state that you live in, go to the FDA’s website at http://www.fda.gov/safesharpsdisposal.
  • Do not dispose of your used sharps disposal container in your household trash unless your community guidelines permit this. Do not recycle your used sharps disposal container. 

What is GlucaGen® (glucagon) for injection 1mg/mL?

GlucaGen® is a prescription medicine used to treat very low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia) in people with diabetes and as a diagnostic aid during certain radiologic tests to temporarily stop stomach movement in adults. It is not known if GlucaGen® is safe and effective for use in children to temporarily stop stomach movement during radiologic tests.

Important Safety Information

Who should not use GlucaGen®?

Do not use GlucaGen® if:
  • you have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys (adrenal gland) called a pheochromocytoma.
  • you have a tumor in your pancreas called an insulinoma.
  • you are allergic to glucagon or any of the ingredients in GlucaGen®.
  • you have a tumor in your pancreas called a glucagonoma because it could cause low blood sugar when used for your radiology tests.

What should I tell my doctor before using GlucaGen®?

Before using GlucaGen®, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have kidney problems. Tumors on your kidneys called pheochromocytomas
  • have adrenal gland problems (adrenal insufficiency)
  • have pancreas problems. Tumors in your pancreas called insulinomas or glucagonomas
  • have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation)
  • have low blood sugar that does not go away (chronic hypoglycemia)
  • have diabetes mellitus
  • have heart problems
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GlucaGen® will harm your unborn baby
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if GlucaGen® passes into your breast milk

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over the counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. GlucaGen® may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how GlucaGen® works.

How should I use GlucaGen®?

  • Use GlucaGen® exactly as your doctor tells you to
  • Make sure that you and your family know how to use GlucaGen® the right way before you need it
  • Act quickly. Having very low blood sugar for a period of time may be harmful
  • Call for emergency medical help right after you use GlucaGen®
  • Eat sugar or a sugar-sweetened product such as a regular soft drink or fruit juice as soon as you are able to swallow
  • Tell your doctor each time you use GlucaGen®. Your doctor may need to change the dose of your diabetes medicines

What are the possible side effects of GlucaGen®?

GlucaGen® may cause serious side effects, including:

  • High blood pressure. GlucaGen® can cause high blood pressure in certain people with tumors in their adrenal glands called pheochromocytoma
  • Low blood sugar. GlucaGen® can cause low blood sugar in patients with tumors in their pancreas called insulinomas and glucagonomas by making too much insulin in their bodies. Very low blood sugar can cause passing out (loss of consciousness), confusion, seizures, and death. Talk to your doctor about how to tell if you have low blood sugar and what to do if this happens while using GlucaGen® for injection. Know your symptoms of low blood sugar. Follow your doctor’s instructions to treat low blood sugar.
  • Allergic reactions. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction to GlucaGen® may include rash, difficulty breathing, or low blood pressure (hypotension)
  • Skin rash. A skin rash commonly related to tumors in the pancreas
  • High blood sugar. If you receive GlucaGen® before your radiology test, it can cause high blood sugar in people with diabetes mellitus. Your doctor will check your blood glucose levels during treatment with GlucaGen®.
  • Heart problems. If you have heart problems and receive GlucaGen® before your radiology test, you may have an increase in your blood pressure and pulse. Your doctor will monitor your heart when using GlucaGen® during treatment.

The most common side effects of GlucaGen® include:

  • Injection site reactions
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling sleepy or drowsy
  • Pale skin
  • Diarrhea
  • Lack of energy
  • Lower blood pressure

Please click here for the GlucaGen® Prescribing Information and GlucaGen® Patient Information.

GlucaGen® is a prescription medication.

Talk to your doctor about the importance of diet and exercise in your treatment plan.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you need assistance with prescription drug costs, help may be available. Visit pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW.