Abstract:
A method and apparatus for treating a patient with liquid medicament under circumstances where intravenous injection is not practical but the fast response time of an intravenous injection is desirable, including the treatment of individuals undergoing heart attack symptoms with t-PA. The method comprises the steps of injecting with automatic injector (14) the liquid medicament t-PA, preferably with a blood absorption enhancing agent such as hydroxylamine hydrochloride into the muscle tissue of the patient, applying to the patient which has received the injection repeated blood flow stimulating cylcles generated by circuit (180), each of which includes a period of electrical stimulus during which the muscle tissue which has received the injection tenses followed by a period of no electrical stimulus during which the muscle tissue which received the injection is allowed to relax inducing enhanced blood flow within the muscle tissue, and continuing the application of the repeated blood flow stimulating cycles until the injected liquid medicament has been sufficiently absorbed into the enhanced blood flow to achieve a desired possible patient response of reperfusion and apparatus for carrying out the method.
Abstract:
The absorption of a scavenger of oxygen free radicals generated at the time of reperfusion or the absorption of an agent preventing the cytotoxic effects on healthy cells in a mammal, e.g. superoxide dismutase or the compound WR-2721 [H2N(CH2)3NHCH2CH2SPO3H2] is enhanced by substantially simultaneously administering an absorption enhancing agent therefore, e.g. hydroxylamine or a non-toxic salt thereof. It is also part of the invention to inject WR-2721 intravenously or intramuscularly as a scavenger of oxygen free radicals even in the absence of an absorption enhancing agent.
Abstract:
A plural dosage automatic injector (10) comprising an elongated tubular housing assembly (12) having side by side first and second medicament injecting assemblies (14 and 18) each including a container (48 and 116), a hypodermic needle (56 and 130), a liquid medicament (54 and 128) and a plunger (50 and 126) within the forward end portion thereof and, first and second stressed spring assemblies (16 and 20) in the rearward end portion thereof disposed in operative relation with said first and second medicament injecting assemblies for operating the latter. A manually operable safety device (22) is provided which includes a first safety pin (24) operable (1) when in a safety position with respect to the first spring stressed assembly to prevent actuation and release thereof and (2) when removed from its safety position to permit the actuation and release of the second stressed spring assembly. A mechanical motion transmitting mechanism (28) is provided which is operable to transmit a movement occuring as a result of the actuation and release of the first stressed spring assembly into a secondary acttuating movement operable to (1) effect a relative movement between the automatic safety pin and the second stressed spring assembly sufficient to remove the automatic safety pin from its safety position and (2) thereafter actuate and release second stressed spring assembly to operate the second medicament injecting assembly.