infusionen

Infusionen, in a medical context, refer to the administration of fluids, medications, or nutrients to a patient through a controlled infusion, most commonly by intravenous means but also via subcutaneous routes. The goal is to deliver substances at a steady, prescribed rate to maintain hydration, correct electrolyte imbalances, or provide medication and nutrition when oral intake is not feasible.

In practice, infusions are delivered using equipment such as a venous catheter, an infusion bag or bottle, tubing, and often a pump to regulate the flow rate. Infusions can be continuous, running over hours or days, or intermittent, given in shorter, scheduled sessions. They may be primary, delivering a steady base solution, or secondary, used to administer a precise dose of a drug that is added to the primary fluid. Rates and volumes are tailored to the individual’s clinical needs and monitored by healthcare professionals through vital signs, fluid balance, and laboratory tests.

Common indications include hydration and restoration of circulating volume, electrolyte and acid–base correction, administration of antibiotics, chemotherapy, pain relief, and total parenteral nutrition when the gastrointestinal tract cannot adequately absorb nutrients. Infusions require strict aseptic technique and careful assessment for potential complications, such as infection at the access site, phlebitis, infiltration, air embolism, or fluid overload and electrolyte disturbances.

Infusionen also refer to the broader term infusions in non-medical contexts, where substances are extracted or flavors are drawn out by steeping plant material in liquid, such as herbal teas or other infusions. In medical literature, however, the emphasis is on therapeutic administration and intravenous or subcutaneous delivery.