Infusion therapy is an alternative way to administer medications or fluids in the body to treat chronic infections that do not respond well to oral medication treatments. A professional healthcare provider, such as a nurse or doctor, are licensed for infusion therapy. Medications are administered through a needle catheter that is inserted into a vein and travel directly into the bloodstream. Also, patients who are extremely sick and suffer from serious disorders or diseases causing difficulty eating or swallowing may benefit from this type of intravenous treatment. Medications that cannot be given orally due to the stomach acids negative effects on the medications, can also be administered through a catheter. Stomach acids may affect the quality of a specific medication and fail to treat a disease. Preparation for administrating infusion therapy by a doctor or nurse might involve taking a patient’s blood pressure, body temperature, weight, and height. Infusion therapy duration varies and is based on the type of medication administered and the disease being treated.
Many different health related conditions can be treated using infusion therapy continuously. Some examples of severe or chronic diseases and infections that respond best to infusion therapy include:
- Different types of cancer
- Gastrointestinal tract infections
- Pain management
- Parenteral nutrition
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Dehydration
- Multiple sclerosis
- Arthritis
- Congestive heart failure
- Poisoning
- Anaphylactic shock
- Stroke
- Immune deficiency disorders.
- Congenital diseases
Some of the medications used in infusion therapy include:
- Antibiotics
- Antiemetics
- Antifungals
- Chemotherapy
- Antivirals
- Blood factors
- Corticosteroids
- Growth hormones
- Immunotherapy
Disclaimer
The contents contained within this page are not a substitute for health professionals’ advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We advise that you seek advice from a qualified healthcare practitioner. We fully disclose that any surgical or invasive procedures come with risks.
For more details on how to relieve or treat chronic pain, you can reach out to one of our pain specialists at any of our pain care clinic locations. We establish a caring relationship and provide patients with pain relief when needed the most.