INTRAVENOUS THERAPY

INTRAVENOUS THERAPY Intravenous therapyorIV therapyis the infusion of liquid substances directly into avein. Intravenous therapy may be used to correctelectrolyteimbalances, to deliver medications, forblood transfusionor asfluid replacementto correct,for example,dehydration. Substances that may be infused intravenously include volume expanders, blood-based products, blood substitutes, medications, nutrition.Volume expanders-crystalloids and colloids. 1.1Crystalloids are aqueoussolutionsofmineral salts or other water-soluble molecules. - much cheaper than colloids.

commonly used crystalloid fluid isnormalsaline, a solution ofsodium chlorideat 0.9% concentration which is close to the concentration in the blood (isotonic).Lactated Ringers, also known as,Ringer's lactateor Ringer's acetate, is another isotonic solution often used for large-volume fluid replacement.1.2 colloids contain larger insoluble molecules, such asgelatin.Bloodis a colloid.2. Blood-based products -blood product(orblood-based product) is any component ofbloodwhich is collected from a donor for use in ablood transfusion.3. Blood substitutes -are artificial substances aiming to provide an alternative to blood-basedproducts acquired from donors. -calledartificial bloodorblood surrogates -main blood substitutes used today arevolume expanderssuch as crystalloids and colloids mentioned above. Also,oxygen-carrying substitutesare emerging.4. Buffer solutions are used to correctacidosisoralkalosis. -A solution more specifically used for buffering purpose isintravenous sodium bicarbonate. -Lactated Ringer's solutionalso has some buffering effect.5. Parenteral nutritionis feeding a person intravenously, bypassing the usual process ofeatinganddigestion.The person receives nutritional formulas containingsalts,glucose,amino acids,lipidsand addedvitamins.Intermittent infusion -is used when a patient requires medications only at certain times, - does not require additional fluid.