Infusionsterapi

Infusionsterapi is a medical treatment that delivers medications, fluids, or nutrients directly into a patient's circulatory system or other body compartments through a controlled infusion. It encompasses intravenous therapy as the most common form, but may also include subcutaneous, intramuscular, intrathecal, or intraperitoneal infusions depending on the agent and target site.

Common indications include antibiotic therapy, chemotherapy and other oncologic regimens, immunotherapies such as monoclonal antibodies, parenteral nutrition for individuals unable to meet nutrition by mouth, hydration therapy for volume depletion, and administration of certain analgesics or electrolyte solutions.

Administration uses venous access devices such as peripheral IVs or central venous catheters, and infusers or programmable pumps to regulate flow rate. The treatment can take place in hospitals, outpatient infusion centers, or through home infusion programs with trained caregivers and remote monitoring. Equipment also includes sterile tubing, infusion bags or syringes, and monitoring devices for vital signs and infusion reactions.

Benefits include precise dosing, ability to deliver irritant medications safely, rapid therapeutic effect, and the option to provide large fluid volumes or continuous therapy. Risks include infection at the access site or catheter, phlebitis, infiltration, fluid overload, electrolyte imbalances, and adverse drug reactions. Proper aseptic technique, patient assessment, and compatibility checks are essential.

Infusionsterapi has evolved with advances in infusion pumps, safety checks, and home-care services, enabling treatment outside traditional hospital settings under professional supervision.