Intravenous (IV) drug use and substance use typically refers to illicit drug use via injections. FDA is working continuously to address the shortages and supply disruptions to ensure patients have access to certain parenteral drugs, including intravenous solutions. The agency has issued an immediately-in-effect guidance, Temporary Policies for Compounding Certain Parenteral Drug Products, for compounders to help fill the gaps from the impact of Hurricane Helene on Baxter International’s North Cove facility. Due to the rapid onset, the IV route is often the preferred method for administering emergency medications.
Substance Use Disorder, Intravenous Injection, and HIV Infection: A
- Those who inject IV drugs are at a higher risk of developing wound botulism, which can be life-threatening.
- For example, providing clean needles and syringes for users who cannot stop injecting drugs reduces the spread of HIV and hepatitis.
In some cases, patients may experience a long recovery even if they receive the antitoxin promptly. Cellulitis is a common bacterial skin infection that can result in red streaking of the skin, tenderness, inflammation and pain in the infected area. If cellulitis is left untreated, it can cause serious complications and health problems. A potential overdose needs to be addressed and treated immediately by a medical professional.
Substance Use Treatment
- Research has shown that bacterial and fungal infections are increasing among people who inject drugs.
- Prompt treatment is needed as this condition can develop and spread quickly.
- For this reason, a medical setting with trained professionals is the best place to receive IV therapy.
- Since illicit drugs are usually not created in sterile conditions, this creates the opportunity for pathogens to enter the bloodstream even if injection techniques are perfect.
- Intravenous therapy involves the administration of substances, such as fluids, electrolytes, blood products, nutrition, or medications directly into a patient’s vein.
They are typically administered slowly, ranging from minutes to seconds, and have a fast-acting therapeutic effect. Intravenous push medications can be prescribed as needed or can be prescribed on a schedule. Intravenous therapy involves the administration of substances, such as fluids, electrolytes, blood products, nutrition, or medications directly into a patient’s vein. Directly administering medication into the bloodstream allows for a more rapid onset of medication actions, restoration of hydration, and correction of nutritional deficits and electrolyte balances more quickly than the oral route. If possible, a person should discuss the potential risks and complications of IV iv drug use injections with a doctor before receiving treatment in this way. A direct IV injection also does not allow a healthcare professional to deliver a large dose of a drug over an extended period of time.
Medical Complications of Injection Drug Use
The Consolidated guidelines on HIV, viral hepatitis and STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations outline a public health response… Injecting drug use accounts for approximately 10% of new HIV infections globally (UNAIDS, 2020). And an estimated 23–39% of new HCV infections occur among people who inject drugs. In some regions, such as Eastern Europe and Central Asia, prevalence rates for both HIV and HCV are particularly high. Furthermore, there are approximately 2.3 million HIV–HCV co-infections worldwide, of which more than half (1.3 million) occur in people who inject drugs (WHO, 2016). Needle sharing and use of nonsterile techniques can lead to many infectious complications.
Infections Related to IV Drug Use
For this reason, a medical setting with trained professionals is the best place to receive IV therapy. During the procedure, a healthcare professional will insert a cannula into a person’s vein, usually in the crook of their arm. They can then attach a tube with an IV bag containing fluids, which then drip down the tube directly into the vein. Fentanyl use, as well as concurrent opioid and stimulant use, was reported to lead to increased injection frequency due to a perceived shorter high, often in excess of 15 separate injection events per day. Injection risk behaviors and participants’ perception of these risks with respect to SBI were highlighted during the interviews with resultant emergence of themes. If you or a loved one has recently used an IV drug and is showing signs of sepsis, it’s important to get medical help right away and to tell the doctor about the injections.
Rapid Onset of Medication Action
Injecting the drugs and the lifestyle that may accompany drug use can increase the risk of infection. People who inject IV drugs are at risk for many illnesses, the most common being hepatitis and HIV. Each time someone injects a drug, they increase their risk of contracting infections and developing sepsis, whether they use these drugs occasionally or on a regular basis. Discussing options with your healthcare team can help minimize side effects and the potential for overdose with IV opioids. Feel free to ask questions so you can be well-informed and be involved in making decisions about your treatment. The Society of Hospital Medicine suggests that healthcare teams only administer opioids by IV in cases where someone can’t take food or medication by mouth or if there’s a need for immediate pain control.
HIV/AIDS
Convenient recruitment of participants may introduce bias and limits generalizability of the results. Future work should aim to validate our proposed theory with larger samples and increased diversity within the participants. Additionally, one participant reported seeking a larger gauge needle due to difficulty finding a vein. Understanding blood-borne viral transmission risk was also reinforced as a result of participants’ lived experiences, which subsequently would lead to avoidance of needle sharing practices. Bacteria, fungi, or other germs in your bloodstream can cause the infection. It https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-cope-with-loneliness-during-addiction-recovery/ can develop quickly (called acute endocarditis) or more slowly (called infective endocarditis).
