Intravenous therapy (IV therapy) is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein. Intravenous simply means “within vein”. Therapies administered intravenously are often called specialty pharmaceuticals. It is commonly referred to as a drip because many systems of administration employ a drip chamber, which prevents air from entering the blood stream, and allows an estimation of flow rate. Intravenous therapy may be used to correct electrolyte imbalances, to deliver medications, for blood transfusion or as fluid replacement to correct, for example, dehydration. Compared with other routes of administration, the intravenous route is the fastest way to deliver fluids and medications throughout the body. The bioavailability of the medication is 100% in IV therapy.
Intravenous (IV) Therapy
