Heart failure caused by too rapid infusion

Normally when we are receiving an infusion in the hospital, we will find that the doctor is always adjusting the speed of the infusion, and most people will not infuse it too fast, almost completing the infusion drop by drop. At this time, everyone will find it very troublesome and want to quickly improve the efficiency of the infusion, so as to shorten the infusion time. First of all, there will be effects if the infusion is too fast, which may increase the burden on the heart and cause heart failure or pulmonary edema, so the infusion speed cannot be too fast.

What are the effects of fast infusion?

If the infusion speed is too fast, it will easily increase the burden on the heart and cause adverse reactions such as heart failure or pulmonary edema.

For example, the drip rate of sodium nitroprusside must be strictly controlled during infusion, as a too fast drip rate may cause a sharp drop in blood pressure. The drip rate of nitroglycerin and isosorbide mononitrate should be 8-15 drops/minute. Too fast a drip rate may cause a drop in blood pressure, an increase in heart rate, and even fainting.

Too fast a drip of potassium may cause hyperkalemia, which manifests as weakness in the limbs, numbness in the hands, feet, and lips, fatigue and difficulty breathing, slow heart rate, heart rhythm disorders, and even cardiac arrest.

Infusing parenteral nutrition drugs such as amino acids and fat emulsions too quickly can cause flushing, fever, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, chest tightness and other discomforts.

Five major hazards of too fast infusion speed

1. Increase the burden on the heart

Medication given intravenously consists primarily of water. When this water is pumped into the blood vessels, the amount of fluid in their circulation increases. When this water slowly enters the blood, the human body will automatically adjust and excrete the excess water through the kidneys.

However, if the infusion speed is increased, a large amount of water will flow into the blood. The rapid and large influx will make the body unable to adjust in time, thereby increasing the burden on the human heart. If the patient has a bad heart, it is very easy to cause heart failure.

2. Prone to phlebitis

Many drugs now have a stimulating effect on blood vessels, and high concentrations of drugs can also produce many side effects. If the infusion speed is too fast, the concentration of the drug in the local area of ​​infusion and in the blood through which the drug passes will suddenly rise, which can easily irritate the veins and cause adverse reactions such as phlebitis.

3. Affecting the efficacy

Too fast an infusion rate can easily affect the efficacy. When the drip rate increases, the concentration will also increase, and this high concentration will drop to the lowest point after the drip is completed. Compared with the effective concentration, the duration of this high concentration is relatively short, and the effective drug effect that can be maintained will also be reduced, thereby affecting the efficacy of the drug.

4. Allergic reaction

If vancomycin is dripped too quickly, an erythematous or urticarial skin allergic reaction may occur, commonly known as red man syndrome.

5. Metabolic abnormalities

For normal people, there will also be adverse reactions, such as dizziness, vomiting, etc. This is one of the reasons why people often experience discomfort when receiving an IV drip. For example, if nutritional drugs such as amino acids and fat emulsions are infused too quickly, it may cause flushing, fever, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, chest tightness and other discomforts.

Tips: In short, too fast a drip rate not only affects the effect of the drug, but also poses certain safety issues. Many patients adjust the drip rate privately, which leads to discomfort symptoms. In severe cases, fainting may occur. Some drugs are very irritating, and dripping them too quickly may increase side effects and harm the body.