What is the Difference Between IV Infusion and IV Bolus?

Infusion therapy is a common treatment nowadays. It helps people to get fluid, drugs, or any medication to get transmitted directly to their body with the help of a needle. Infusion therapy has made life much easier and more convenient for people who can’t take oral medication or face problems while taking oral medicines. It surpasses the digestive system to ensure rapid results for different medical conditions. If you are experiencing any medical issue where oral medications are not helping you, you can give infusion therapy a try. It will help you treat chronic medical conditions and is wonderful for good well-being. 

There are multiple types of infusion therapy, but the most common ones are IV infusion and IV Bolus. To give you a clear overview, you’ll learn the difference between IV infusion and IV Bolus in this blog. So, let’s get started!

What is IV Infusion?

Intravenous infusion implies infusing fluid into a vein through a plastic needle or catheter at a slower rate. The fact is that term infusion indicates a slow flow rate or a time duration of administration that is not fixed. It means one does not have to worry about the infusion rate. It is a common term that is employed when the dosing of some medicines is done precisely as per the requirement.

They are used to replace the loss of fluid and electrolytes so as to keep them at the right concentration in a patient. Aside from this, they supply nutrition to those patients who cannot take food and nutrients properly through the intestines as well. The infusion therapy services also work as the intermittent medication and fluids holder and the blood and blood products administration. IV infusion is a treatment method used in the management of cancer, autoimmune disorders, dehydration, congestive heart failure, treatment of unresponsive infections to oral antibiotics, immune deficiencies, and pain.

What is IV Bolus?

Intravenous (IV) bolus is the delivery of fluid with a drug through the insertion of a needle or catheter into the vein at a faster speed. The word “bolus” indicates a big dose of medication or drug that is taken at one time. IV bolus allows for a very quick and efficient administration of drugs through a vein, and the peak level is reached sooner within the patient’s system. The healthcare professionals conduct this procedure. At the moment of IV push administration, the pump or gravity method is used for the fluids to enter into the system more rapidly. This particular kind of water is closed and drips with the water slowly and constantly for several hours.

Uses of Intravenous infusion

Below are the uses of intravenous infusion you must know. 

• The fluids and electrolytes need to be replaced by the body and kept at the normal required levels.
• To enable patients with abnormal intestines to get nutrition they cannot absorb via their intestinal channels.
• To provide an oral or liquid flow of medication or fluid.
• To give out blood and blood products.

Uses of IV bolus

Here are some common uses of IV Bolus 

• The purpose of this is to allow the fast route of delivery of a particular drug by IV administration, which in turn will lead to the peak level of the drug being reached in the patient’s system in a short time and, eventually, the intended outcome will be displayed in the short time.
• Contrast enhancement that allows imaging of blood vessels on x-ray procedures after an injection of contrast medium.

The benefits of intravenous infusion and bolus therapy

They are the ones that deliver the most drugs into the system and this is also the one with minimal delay.

• The controllable dosage rate that is required to attain the plasma concentration of the drug sets it apart from the others.
• If any unexpected side effects are detected during the implementation, the process can be stopped at any time the healthcare provider desires.
• IV way of drug administration is a better option rather than the oral route because the IV way is more efficient and effective than the oral route.
• IV would be the better option because it eliminates the need for painful intramuscular and subcutaneous injections.

Which One Do You Choose?

In the case of IV therapy, you should be careful and not compromise with speed and efficiency. Speed is necessary, but efficiency is most crucial. You can get any treatment that your health professional prescribes. You just need to choose the right infusion center that makes sure you get the best result from infusion therapy. A typical session of intravenous infusion or IV bolus treatment lasts 45-60 minutes so your body can gradually absorb the vitamins and nutrients without being shocked or overwhelmed. 

It is well to know that Heath Quest is offering IV bolus treatment. Our registered nurses can provide the treatment you need. Our medical personnel have many years of experience in infusion therapy, so you can be confident in our care. They’ll go through your medical history and the current status of your health in order to develop the most suitable therapy for you, whether it is to prevent dehydration during workouts focusing on the health of athletes, to get rid of the flu symptoms, or to relieve the symptoms of chronic health issues. We are ready to serve you!

The Bottom Line 

If you are looking for infusion therapy, it is important to seek health professional consultation before deciding on any type. Intravenous or IV Bolus are both beneficial from their perspective. So, talk to your doctor and follow what they instruct you to do. To know more about infusion therapy call us at (832) 612 3500.