Dr. Linette Williamson - IV Therapy in Oceanside
What Exactly Is Infusion Therapy?
Infusion therapy is when you get medication through a needle or catheter, usually intravenously (IV). Other types of infusion therapy include:
- Epidural
- Intramuscular
- Subcutaneous
Some drugs can't be taken orally because they lose their effectiveness when exposed to your digestive system. Infusion therapy is an alternative when there's no comparable oral therapy or when you're unable to take oral medication.
If you've ever spent time in a hospital, you possibly had an IV to make sure you stayed hydrated and to have other medications delivered quickly, if needed. That's a type of infusion therapy. So is an insulin pump that releases insulin just under your skin.
Infusion therapy can also be used to supply nutrition, as well as several types of medications, including:
- Prescription antibiotics
- Antiemetics
- Antifungals
- Antivirals
- Biologics
- Blood factors
- Chemotherapy
- Corticosteroids
- Growth hormones
- Immunoglobulin replacement
- Immunotherapy
- Inotropic heart medications
Infusion therapy is also commonly used since it allows for controlled dosing. Some types of chemotherapy, for example, need to be dripped slowly into the bloodstream. Other drugs have to reach the bloodstream quickly in life-and-death situations such as:
- Anaphylactic shock
- Heart attack
- Poisoning
- Stroke
What Kinds of Conditions Is It Used For?
Chemotherapy is a common treatment for many types of cancer. While some chemotherapies are given orally, several have to be given with an IV. Sometimes, chemotherapy medications are injected into the spine or to a certain part of the body.
Infusion therapy allows for the delivery of chemotherapy drugs straight into your bloodstream. It also allows you to receive anti-nausea and other medications without the need for more needles.
Infusion therapy isn't just for cancer, though. It's also used in the treatment of:
- Autoimmune disorders
- Congestive heart failure
- Dehydration
- Immune deficiencies
- Infections that are unresponsive to oral antibiotics
- Pain
It can provide powerful medicines for conditions such as:
- Crohn's disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Lupus
- Psoriasis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
It can also deliver medications for a wide range of conditions. Here are just a few:
- Blood clotting factors for hemophilia
- Immunoglobulin replacement therapy for hypergammaglobulinemia
- A "cocktail" of medications for migraine
- Corticosteroids and other medications for multiple sclerosis
- Platelet-rich plasma for osteoarthritis
- Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis
- Insulin for type 1 diabetes
- Hypercoagulation disorders that can create blood clots
- Severe infections such as cellulitis, pneumonia, and sepsis
What Can You Anticipate?
IV infusion therapy typically takes place in a clinical setting, such as a doctor's office, hospital, outpatient facility, or infusion center. Some types of infusion therapy can be given by healthcare providers in the home.
Each IV session means new needle sticks. So, if you're expected to need several IV therapy sessions, your physician might suggest alternatives to a standard IV line. Central lines can be inserted into your chest, arm, neck, or groin and stay for an extended time.
Another alternative is to have a port surgically implanted under your skin. In future treatments, the needle can be inserted into the port to access the vein without sticking you. The port will be surgically removed after you've finished all your treatments.
Whatever the setting, IV therapy is administered by nurses or other trained medical professionals. The procedure requires careful monitoring, so if the procedure is going to take more than a few minutes, there is generally some kind of control mechanism attached to the line to ensure proper delivery. Regular or remote surveillance always accompanies infusion therapy.
Depending on the medication, it may be pre-prepared or prepared just before use.
A needle will be inserted into the port or a suitable vein, usually in the arm. A tube will attach it to an IV bag holding the medication. The bag will be hung so that the solution drips into your bloodstream. Depending on your particular treatment, you might need several IV bags.
The length of each treatment depends on the medication and your specific condition. It might take 30 minutes or a few hours.
You'll usually receive plenty of fluids, so do not be surprised if you have to use the bathroom. You'll bring the IV pole with you, but make sure to tell those monitoring you first.
When the medication dispenses, the catheter will be removed.
The Bottom Line
Infusion therapy is the administration of medication or fluids in a controlled procedure. It's done most often intravenously or subcutaneously.
Since the timing can be controlled, it's used to deliver chemotherapy drugs and other medications that need to enter your system slowly. It can also be used to provide drugs into your bloodstream quickly in the case of a life threatening emergency.
Infusion therapy is used to give numerous therapies for a wide variety of conditions. It's usually administered by nurses or other trained healthcare providers, generally in a clinical setting.
Talk to your healthcare provider regarding the possible benefits and risks of infusion therapy, and what you can do to make it as safe and effective as possible.
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