Sometimes you may be too sick to take your medications orally. This may be the case, especially if you are bedridden and admitted to the hospital. This is where a nurse or any other medical professionally will come in handy to help administer the drugs. The emergence of procedures like Southlake IV therapy has provided a suitable alternative for administering medications and other fluids. More about when IV infusion therapy is required and how it is administered is discussed below.
What is IV Infusion Therapy?
Infusion therapy involves the administration of fluids and medication through a catheter or needle. This is suitable for medication that cannot be given orally, or the pace of dispensing needs to be controlled.
Infusion therapy is typically administered intravenously through a catheter or needle, but it has other types, including:
- Intramuscular
- Epidural
- Subcutaneous
Some medications cannot be taken orally as they lose their effectiveness when they contact the digestive system. A lack of oral therapy alternative or inability to take medication orally may require the intervention of infusion therapy.
An insulin pump is an example of infusion therapy as it releases insulin just beneath your skin. Hydration, when you got to a hospital, is another example.
The various medications that can be dispensed include:
- Antiemetics
- Antibiotics
- Antivirals
- Antifungals
- Blood factors
- Biologics
- Corticosteroids
- Chemotherapy
- Immunoglobulin replacement
- Growth hormones
- Inotropic heart medications
- Immunotherapy
Controlled dosing is an essential advantage of infusion therapy, especially in some types of chemotherapy. These require slow dripping of medication into the bloodstream.
Other situations may require a quick response, and the drugs need to reach the bloodstream quickly in life-and-death situations like:
- Heart attack
- Anaphylactic shock
- Stroke
- Poisoning
Conditions that use IV Infusion Therapy
Cancer treatments like chemotherapy are given through an IV, even though some can be given orally. Other cases may involve direct injection to a specific body part like the spine. Anti-nausea and other medications can be introduced to your bloodstream during chemotherapy without needing other needle injections.
Other than chemotherapy, other conditions may use IV infusion therapy, namely:
- Congestive heart failure
- Autoimmune disorders
- Immune deficiencies
- Dehydration
- Pain
- Ailments that do not respond to oral antibiotics
Certain powerful medications can be delivered for various conditions like:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Psoriasis
- Lupus
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
Medications for various ailments may also be administered, including:
- Immunoglobulin replacement therapy for hypergammaglobulinemia
- Blood clotting factors for hemophilia
- Corticosteroids and other medicines for multiple sclerosis
- Migraine cocktail medications
- Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis
- Platelet-rich plasma for osteoarthritis
- Hypercoagulation disorders that cause blood clots
- Insulin for type 1 diabetes
- Extreme ailments like pneumonia, cellulitis, and sepsis
IV infusion therapy happens typically in a medical setting, i.e., a hospital, doctor’s office, infusion center, or outpatient facility. Every IV session needs a new needle stick; therefore, if you require multiple IV therapy sessions, your physician may recommend a standard IV line inserted in your arm, chest, groin, and neck for an extended time.
IV infusion therapy has revolutionalized emergency treatments that may require quick response through controlled medication. They may make a difference during life and death situations. Check us out online or call our offices in Southlake, TX, for any infusion therapy inquiries.
