Chapter 15: Medicines optimization: ensuring quality and safety
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Intra‐arterial injections and infusions
Definition
This special technique allows the delivery of a high concentration of drug to the tissues or organ supplied by a particular artery; it is used when the medications required are rapidly metabolized or systemically toxic (Downie et al. [82]). This route can be used for the administration of chemotherapy and vasodilators and for diagnostic purposes. Injection of drugs into an artery is a rare and hazardous procedure. The introduction of the cannula or catheter must be performed with care as the vessel may go into spasm, causing pain and occlusion. This can result in necrosis of an organ or part of a limb.
