L43 - IV Infusion Administration 1

Question 1

What is continuous infusion?

Answer 1

• drug added to a large volume of parenteral fluid
• solution slowly and continurously administered into a vein

Question 2

What are advantages of continuous infusion?

Answer 2

• drug plasma levels easily controlled by changing infusion rate (R)
• constant drug plasma levels can be achieved
• less problems of irritation/toxicity

Question 3

What are disadvantages of continuous infusion?

Answer 3

• continuous monitoring
• solubility and stability of some drugs
• fluid restricted patients

Question 4

How do you calculate the constant rate of infusion?

Answer 4

R = mass of drug infused/ unit time

Question 5

What are assumption of the one compartment open model for IV infusion?

Answer 5

• elimination - first order process (k elim rate const)
• drug input - zero order process (R zero-order const rate)
• linear kinetics