What to know about IV therapy???
- Dr.maan qwassmeh
- Mar 5, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 9, 2024
Intravenous (IV) therapy is administering fluids directly into a vein. It benefits treatment by enabling water, medication, blood, or nutrients to access the body faster through the circulatory system.
IV therapy is the invasive procedure medical professionals use in healthcare. This article discusses its uses, procedures, benefits, risks, and more.
Overview
Healthcare professionals can use an IV to deliver medication, vitamins, blood, or other fluids to those who need them.
Doctors can provide IV therapy through an IV line directly into a vein. This bypasses the gastric system so the body can take on more fluids quickly.
During the procedure, a healthcare professional will insert a cannula into a person’s vein, usually in the crook of their arm. They can then attach a tube with an IV bag containing fluids, which then drip down the tube directly into the vein.
The fluids or nutrition in IV therapies are specific to each person requiring the treatment.
Uses
IV therapy can treat:
severe dehydration by administering fluids
health conditions by administering medication
pain by administering pain relief
blood loss by blood transfusion
malnutrition or inability to take food by administering nutrients
Doctors use the technique as a fast-acting way to feed essential fluids into the body’s system.
IV vitamin therapy
IV vitamin therapy can administer a high concentration of minerals and vitamins directly into the bloodstream rather than through the stomach.
A mix known as the Myers’ cocktailTrusted Source includes high doses of vitamins B and C, calcium, and magnesium. A medical professional dilutes the vitamins with sterile water.
They then put the fluid into an IV bag with a tube attached to the cannula.
Other types of IV vitamin therapies include:
IV magnesium sulfate for acute asthma: found this treatment to be more beneficial than using a nebulizer, a device for inhalation medications through a face mask or mouthpiece, for children with acute asthma.
IV selenium for acute respiratory distress syndrome: This can help for critically ill people who need mechanical ventilation.
IV vitamin C for cancer: Healthcare professionals administer high doses of vitamin C to those living with cancer. However, researchers have not proven this treatment effective with studies.
What to know about IV therapy
Intravenous (IV) therapy is administering fluids directly into a vein. It benefits treatment by enabling water, medication, blood, or nutrients to access the body faster through the circulatory system.
IV therapy invasive procedure medical professionals use in healthcare. This article discusses its uses, procedures, benefits, risks, and more.
Overview
Healthcare professionals can use an IV to deliver medication,, blood,vitamins or other fluids to those who need them.
Doctors can provid IV therapy through an IV line directly into a vein. This bypasses the gastric system so the body can take on more fluids quickly.
During the procedure, a healthcare professional will insert a cannula into a person’s vein, usually in the crook of their arm. They can then attach a tube with an IV bag containing fluids, which then drip down the tube directly into the vein.
The fluids or nutrition in IV therapies are specific to each person requiring the treatment.
Uses
IV therapy can treat:
severe dehydration by administering fluids
health conditions by administering medication
pain by administering pain relief
blood loss by blood transfusion
malnutrition or inability to take food by administering nutrients
Doctors use the technique as a fast-acting way to feed essential fluids into the body’s system.
IV vitamin therapy
IV vitamin therapy can administer a high concentration of minerals and vitamins directly into the bloodstream rather than through the stomach.
A mix known as the Myers’ cocktailTrusted Source includes high doses of vitamins B and C, calcium, and magnesium. A medical professional dilutes the vitamins with sterile water.
They then put the fluid into an IV bag with a tube attached to the cannula.
Other types of IV vitamin therapies include:
IV magnesium sulfate for acute asthma: found this treatment to be more beneficial than using a nebulizer, a device for inhalation medications through a face mask or mouthpiece, for children with acute asthma.
IV selenium for acute respiratory distress syndrome: This can provid help for critically ill people who need mechanical ventilation.
IV vitamin C for cancer: Healthcare professionals administer high doses of vitamin C to those living with cancer. However, researchers have not proven this treatment effective with studies.
Procedure
Below is what happens during a typical IV therapy procedure:
Before the procedure, a healthcare professional will choose a vein where they insert the cannula. This in the forearm, wrist, the back of the hand, or the top of the foot. If a vein is difficult to find, they may use an ultrasound scan to guide the needle.
Once they have found a vein, the healthcare professional will sanitize the area with a wipe before inserting a fine needle attached to the cannula. They may use adhesive tape to hold the cannula in place.
Once the cannula is in place, healthcare professionals will use tubing to connect it to the IV.
During the infusion, a healthcare professional will regularly check the cannula to ensure that the IV is flowing properly and there is no pain or swelling in the area.
Once the IV therapy infusion is complete, the healthcare professional will disconnect the cannula from the tubing and remove it from the vein.
They will then apply pressure over the insertion wound to help slow any bleeding. They may dress the area with a cotton bud and adhesive tape.
For procedures that require a regular IV, healthcare professionals will leave the cannula in place.
damage to blood vessels
bleeding from the site of insertion
swelling in the area
inflammation of the veins if the IV is present for a long time
bruising at the site of insertion
Risks and complications
According to a, complications of IV therapy may include:
allergic reaction to the adhesive tape that secures the IV in place
hematoma, or swelling from clotted blood under the skin
the formation of a blood clot
cellulitis, or swelling in deep layers of the skin
skin necrosis, or premature death of skin cells
the development of an abscess
More extreme types of complications after IV therapy usually occur after 3 or more days of having IV insertion.
The risks of complications rise if a person has not completed full IV insertion training or if this is not a procedure they carry out regularly. For this reason, a medical setting with trained professionals is the best place to receive IV therapy.
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