How do I take Repatha?

Keep the autoinjector carton in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it (see “How do I store my cholesterol medication?”). Check the autoinjector label and your prescription to make sure you have the correct medicine and dose. Don’t use the autoinjector if the carton is damaged or the seal is broken.

Take out the number of autoinjectors you need for your injection and put any unused autoinjectors back in the refrigerator. Wait 30 minutes for the autoinjector to reach room temperature. Let it warm up naturally. Don’t heat it with hot water, a microwave or direct sunlight. Don’t shake the autoinjector at any time. Note: Using the autoinjector at room temperature makes sure the full dose is delivered and allows for a more comfortable injection.

Inspect the medicine in the window. It should be clear and colorless to slightly yellow. It’s okay to see air bubbles. Don’t use the autoinjector if the medicine is cloudy, discolored, or contains flakes or particles.

Check the expiration date (Exp.) and inspect the autoinjector for damage. Don’t use the autoinjector if:

(a) the expiration date has passed,

(b) the orange cap is missing or loose in the carton,

(c) it has cracks or broken parts, or it has been dropped on a hard surface (part of the autoinjector may be broken even if you can’t see the break), or

(d) it has been frozen.

In any of these cases, or if the medicine is cloudy, discolored or has flakes or particles, use a new autoinjector and call Amgen at 1-844-REPATHA (1-844-737-2842). For a replacement, contact your pharmacy.

Gather your supplies on a clean, flat and well-lit surface: the Repatha autoinjector (at room temperature), a sharps disposal container, an alcohol wipe, an adhesive bandage, and cotton balls or gauze pads.

Choose 1 injection site. Use the thigh or the stomach, except for 2 inches around the belly button. Someone else can inject in your thigh, stomach or the back of your upper arm. Change the injection site each time, shifting the area of the injection to avoid skin irritation. Avoid areas with scars or stretch marks, or where the skin is tender, bruised, red, hard or raised, or has a thick or scaly patch or a lesion. For more, see “Where should I inject?”

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe. Let the skin dry on its own. Don’t touch this area again before injecting.

Only remove the orange cap when you can inject right away (within 5 minutes), because the medicine can dry out. Hold the autoinjector so you can see the window. Pull the orange cap straight off. You may need to pull hard. Don’t twist, bend or wiggle the orange cap to pull it off. Never put the orange cap back on: it may damage the needle. Don’t put your finger inside the yellow safety guard. It’s normal to see a drop of medicine come out of the needle or the yellow safety guard.

Stretch or pinch the skin to create a firm surface at the injection site, and keep it stretched or pinched until the injection is finished. Place the yellow safety guard straight against the skin, at a 90-degree angle, and make sure you can see the window.

Firmly push the autoinjector down until the yellow safety guard stops moving. Hold the autoinjector down. Don’t lift it. The yellow safety guard pushes in and unlocks the gray start button.

Keep pushing the autoinjector down and press the gray start button to start the injection. You may hear or feel a click. The window starts to turn yellow. It’s okay to let go of the gray start button.

Keep pushing the autoinjector down and wait for the window to turn fully yellow. The injection may take up to 15 seconds. You may hear or feel a click. After the window turns fully yellow, lift the autoinjector away from the skin. The yellow safety guard locks around the needle.

Confirm that the window is fully yellow. That means a full dose of medicine was injected. Don’t touch the yellow safety guard. A small drop of liquid on the injection site is okay. If the window hasn’t turned fully yellow, or if it looks like the medicine is still coming out, a full dose was not injected: contact your clinician right away through the chat on your Dashboard, and reply to the most recent message about your prescription.

Check the injection site. Don’t rub it. If there is blood, press a cotton ball or gauze pad on the injection site. Apply an adhesive bandage if necessary.

Place the used autoinjector and the orange cap in your sharps disposal container. Do not throw the autoinjector in your household trash. Do not reuse the autoinjector. Do not touch the yellow safety guard. For what to use if you don’t have an FDA-cleared container, and how to get rid of a full one, see “How do I safely dispose of needles?”