Final answer:
Most intravenous contrast agents used in medicine are high osmolarity. To prevent hemolysis of red blood cells, drugs are typically formulated in isotonic solutions with the blood.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most intravenous contrast agents used in medicine are high osmolarity. Osmolarity is a measure of the concentration of solutes in a solution. High osmolarity solutions have a greater concentration of solutes compared to low osmolarity solutions. In order to prevent hemolysis of red blood cells, drugs are typically formulated in isotonic solutions with the blood, which have the same osmolarity as the blood. Isotonic solutions do not cause water to flow in or out of red blood cells, ensuring their stability. It is crucial to match isotonic conditions to prevent osmotic imbalance, which could result in cell damage. Contrast agents typically have an osmolarity that is higher than that of blood to contrast effectively during imaging but are not so high as to cause harm.