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Which of the following is NOT one of the disadvantages of IV medicine?

a. It's painful for patients
b. It can cause extravasation, which is when the needle goes straight through a patient's vein
c. It can cause a patient to become dehydrated quickly
d. It can cause phlebitis, an irritation or swelling of the vein

User ColemanTO
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Final answer:

IV medication does not typically lead to dehydration; this is not a standard disadvantage. Dehydration could occur if hypertonic solutions are used incorrectly, but standard IV therapy aims to either maintain or restore fluid balance, not deplete it.

Step-by-step explanation:

THe correct option : d

While IV medication has many benefits, including fast delivery of drugs into the bloodstream, there are several potential disadvantages that healthcare professionals must be mindful of. First, the administration of IV medication can be painful for patients, not only during the initial needle insertion but also during the time the catheter remains in the vein. Another serious concern is extravasation, which occurs when medication leaks outside the vein into the surrounding tissues, potentially causing tissue damage. Moreover, IV treatments can lead to phlebitis, an inflammation of the vein, which causes pain, swelling, and redness.

When we consider the reason why IV medication would not typically lead to dehydration, we find that IV fluids are often used to prevent or treat dehydration rather than cause it. These fluids are carefully balanced to match the body's serum osmolality, ensuring that they do not draw excessive water from body tissues into the bloodstream. In fact, dehydration might be more associated with the injection of a hypertonic solution, which causes a net loss of body water through urination. However, in regular IV therapy, dehydration is not a common disadvantage unless specific hypertonic solutions are used incorrectly.

User Snea
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