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Parenteral Therapy

Parenteral Micro Nutrient Therapy or Intravenous Therapy.

The process of maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance goes unnoticed in healthy people who eat properly, exercise occasionally and maintain tolerable stress levels. However, when the fluid and electrolyte balance is interrupted by illness, stress, surgery or trauma, the body's inability to adapt to these fluid changes becomes very obvious. Intravenous therapy is prescribed to persons requiring electrolyte replacement, fluid, calories, vitamins, or other nutritional substances.

When considering health, and disease for that matter, we must think at the level of the cell. When we attempt to bring disease under control, we are in fact trying to provide the cell with the nutrients they need to fight disease, and to be healthy. If our cells are sick and lacking necessary nutrients, we are not healthy, since our bodies are composed entirely of cells and cell products.

Intravenous therapy is one method that helps to deliver nutrients and other important products to our cells. Another delivery method that is often used in parenteral micro nutrient therapy is intramuscular injections. A common vitamin that is delivered via intramuscular injections is vitamin B12.

Parenteral micro nutrient therapy is of particular interest for the aging population. Reasons for this include:

1. A tendency toward a restricted diet, especially if the individual lives alone.
2. Diet may be based on what tastes good; not necessarily what is good for balanced nutrition.
3. Nutritional deficiencies may be related to prescription drugs, many of which deplete specific nutrients.
4. Gastric secretions decrease in the elderly; both hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor decrease. Low pancreatic secretions (digestive enzymes) can also be an issue.
5. The absorptive capacity of the small bowel may be decreased. A large bowel problem may also be present. For example, constipation can lead to decreased absorption.
6. Intravenous repletion leads to a rapid increase in nutrient levels in the blood. This concentration gradient is able to overcome sluggish transport mechanisms.

Advantages of intravenous therapy include easy access to rapid administration of solutions, continuous or intermittent administration of nutrients, rapid changes in circulatory system nutrients, and a convenient way to monitor the delivery of fluids, electrolytes and nutrients into the body system.

Feel free to contact our clinic if you would like to discuss intravenous therapy further.