There are various routes of administration drugs and other essential nutrients. The common ones are oral, topical, and intravenous routes. However, there are other routes available. There is the subcutaneous, nasal, ocular, intramuscular, and so on. These different routes of administration are essential in the direct delivery of drugs. The oral route is more systemic because the drug or nutrient is absorbed into the bloodstream and circulates all over the body. Due to this, the oral route is associated with more adverse effects because all body systems are affected by the drug.
Adverse effects are unwanted or unintended effects of the drug. For example, a drug like aspirin causes gastrointestinal ulcers because it irritates your gastrointestinal lining. Other routes are preferred for narrowing down unwanted effects. This is because their actions are limited to the affected region or organ. For example, topical administration forms like lotions and cream used in the treatment of eczema. They are applied directly to the affected area where they act. This is also the case with vaginal pessaries; they are inserted directly into the vagina where they act. Routes of administration are also selected based on the onset of action of drugs. Oral routes typically slow down the drug action compared to the intravenous route. This is because it takes time before the drug can be fully absorbed into the bloodstream. However, the intravenous route delivers the drug or nutrient directly into the bloodstream giving the drug a fast onset of action.
What is IV infusion therapy?
IV is an abbreviation for intravenous. This is an administration route that uses needles to deliver drugs or essential nutrients into your bloodstream. However, IV infusion therapy is slightly different. It involves a drip, catheter, and needle. The catheter acts as a bridge between the bag containing the drug and the needle. The health physician raises the bag above your head to facilitate drug flow. Drugs or nutrients delivered through infusion therapy are in solution form. The needle is injected into a vein in your arm. A valve opens the catheter to facilitate the flow of the drug or nutrients. The drug or nutrient is then delivered into your bloodstream. Intravenous therapy has the highest rate of drug absorption due to this. Therefore, the drug begins to work within minutes of infusion.
All the drug in the drip bag needs to enter your body. At times, you may need more than one bag, especially with solutions like normal saline. If you are receiving infusion therapy for dehydration, the number of bags you need will depend on your dehydration levels. Intravenous infusion therapy is best for patients unable to take medications through the oral route. Drugs given through infusion therapy in such patients are in the form of salt solutions. This is because salts increase the absorption of the drugs into the bloodstream. It is also recommended for dehydrated patients. Dehydrated patients receive infusion therapy of electrolytes and fluids to replace the lost fluids and electrolytes. This is because causes of dehydration like excessive vomiting and diarrhea deplete electrolytes in your body. However, IV infusion therapy has become useful in the general population because it can deliver nutrients like vitamins into their bodies for improved health.
Benefits and risks of IV infusion therapy
The benefits of intravenous infusion therapy are noticeable almost immediately. Within 12 to 24 hours, you will notice a significant improvement in your medical condition. If you receive an infusion to resolve dehydration, you will feel hydrated in less than a day. IV infusion therapy is generally safe. It is considered the preferred therapy for emergencies due to its fast-acting nature. However, it is associated with some risks. One significant risk of this type of therapy is that it can cause blood infections. This is because it involves puncturing the skin. Millions of bacteria inhabit your skin. Failure to adequately sterilize the skin before inserting the needle cause skin flora to enter the bloodstream.
Additionally, failure to properly sterilize the catheter can also cause a blood infection. Vital Force in Hoover, Alabama, is a clinic that provides a wide range of services. We offer intravenous infusion therapy to a wide range of patients seeking nutrient or drug treatment. We recommend infusion therapy in our clinic to anyone within Birmingham, Alabama that needs it to improve their health. We conduct infusion therapy with the utmost care using adequately sterilized equipment. This helps to prevent the risk of infection. If you need this therapy, just call us on 205-352-9141 to book an appointment.
