Why do some medicines cause bloating and pain when taking an IV drip?

Author: Huang Yanhong Duan Yuechu

When receiving intravenous infusion treatment in the hospital, many patients may have wondered: Why do some drugs cause obvious swelling and pain in parts of the body when they are infused? There are many factors behind this phenomenon. In-depth exploration of these factors can not only help patients better understand the treatment process, but also provide reference for medical staff to optimize medical services.

The pH value of the drug is one of the important factors that cause distension and pain. The human blood has a relatively stable pH range. Once the pH value of the injected drug deviates greatly from this range, it is very easy to irritate the blood vessels, thus causing distension and pain. For example, some drugs that are too acidic or alkaline will disrupt the balance of the blood vessel environment after entering the human blood vessels, leading to the appearance of discomfort symptoms.

The osmotic pressure of the drug should not be ignored either. When the osmotic pressure of the drug is out of balance with the osmotic pressure of the intracellular fluid in the human body, the water movement between the blood vessels and cells will be abnormal. This abnormal movement will change the pressure distribution of the blood vessel wall, resulting in a feeling of distension and pain.

The irritation of the drug itself is also crucial. Some drugs have a direct irritating effect on the blood vessel wall, causing vasoconstriction or inducing an inflammatory response, which ultimately manifests as swelling and pain.

Too fast an infusion is also a common cause of increased distension and pain. A large amount of medicine rushing into the blood vessels in a short period of time will put a greater burden on the blood vessels, thereby aggravating the feeling of distension and pain.

Patients do not need to panic when bloating and pain occur. Medical staff will make timely adjustments based on the specific situation, such as appropriately reducing the infusion rate. If patients feel that the bloating and pain are unbearable, they should inform the medical staff in time so that they can take effective relief measures.

In medical practice, cases of drug-induced distension and pain are not uncommon. For example, a patient experienced obvious distension and pain in the blood vessels of his arm when receiving an infusion of a certain antibiotic. After observation and analysis by medical staff, it was found that the pH value of the antibiotic was low, which irritated the blood vessels. By appropriately slowing down the infusion rate, the patient's distension and pain were significantly relieved. Another patient also experienced distension and pain when receiving an infusion of nutritional drugs. Examination revealed that the drug osmotic pressure did not match the intracellular fluid of the human body, resulting in abnormal distribution of water in the blood vessels. After adjusting the infusion plan, the patient's discomfort symptoms were eliminated.

The human body's blood vessels are like precise channels through which drugs circulate. If certain characteristics of a drug conflict with the "physiological requirements" of blood vessels, it is like setting up obstacles on a smooth road, which will inevitably cause a series of adverse reactions. Moreover, different individuals have different physical conditions and reactions to drugs. Some people are more sensitive to drug irritation, and even relatively mild drugs may cause swelling and pain; while some people have better tolerance and their reactions to drugs are relatively less obvious.

Therefore, during intravenous infusion treatment, patients should not only pay attention to the therapeutic effect of the drug, but also pay attention to the subtle reactions of the body. Once abnormal swelling and pain occur, they must not be taken lightly and should communicate with medical staff in time.

Medical staff will also consider a variety of factors when conducting infusion therapy. They will reasonably choose the infusion method and speed based on the patient's age, physical condition, drug characteristics, etc. For example, children and the elderly have relatively thin blood vessels and poor tolerance, so the infusion speed is usually slowed down appropriately. At the same time, the hospital is also continuously strengthening professional training for medical staff to improve their ability to judge adverse drug reactions and ensure that effective measures can be taken in a timely manner to deal with them.

The distension and pain caused by drugs during intravenous infusion is an issue that requires the joint attention of both doctors and patients. Patients who understand the reasons behind it can better cooperate with treatment and protect their own health; medical staff who master relevant knowledge can provide better and safer medical services. We hope that through scientific cognition and effective communication, every patient can accept treatment with a good attitude, making the treatment process safer and smoother.