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Extravascular Injection Extravascular injection of a drug may result in pain, delayed absorption and/or tissue damage (if the pH of the agent being administering is too high or too low). If large volumes have been injected and the skin is raised and looks ischemic, then 1% procaine should be infiltrated. Procaine is a vasodilator, which will improve the blood supply both to the area and improve venous drainage away. Intraarterial Injection An intraarterial injection occurs rarely, but is much more critical. The most important measure is prevention, by making sure that the needle is inserted in a vein. Remember that veins are more superficial than arteries. If you cannulate an artery, there should be a pumping of bright red blood back into your angiocath, which would not be seen when you cannulate a vein. Intraarterial injection frequently causes arterial spasm and eventual loss of limb, usually from gangrene. In the case of intraarterial injection, recognition is paramount; observe the color of the skin, observe capillary refill, and feel the radial pulse. Capillary refill, which is observed by squeezing a fingertip and then watching the red color return, is a reflection of perfusion. If capillary refill is decreased, then perfusion to that extremity is decreased. Treatment: In the case of intraarterial injection, it is the intravenous drugs which pose severe problems, rather than the I.V. solution. Leave the needle in the artery, and slowly inject approximately 10 CCs of one percent procaine. Procaine is a vasodilator. It is slightly acidic, with a pH of 5, and will counter the alkaline drugs that were just administered. Following treatment, the patient must be hospitalized, and may often require a sympathetic nerve block. An endarterectomy and heparinization may also be necessary to prevent further complications. IV FLUIDS FOR PATIENT WITH DIABETES
In an emergency, most patients can drink enough fluid to replace their urine losses. Replace losses with dextrose and water or IV fluid hyposmolar to the patient's serum. Avoid hyperglycemia, volume overload, and a correction of hypernatremia that is too rapid. A good rule of thumb is to reduce serum sodium by 0.5 mmol/L/h. Water deficit may be calculated based on the assumption that body water is approximately 60% of body weight in kilograms. In case of inadequate thirst, desmopressin is the drug of choice. Generally, it can be administered 2-3 times per day. Patients may require hospitalization to establish fluid needs. Frequent electrolyte monitoring is recommended. Pharmaceutical therapy for diabetes insipidus includes subcutaneous, nasal, and oral preparations of vasopressin analogues, as well as chlorpropamide, carbamazepine, clofibrate, thiazides, and indomethacin (limited efficacy). Postoperatively, administer the usual dose of desmopressin to patients with diabetes insipidus and administer (hypotonic) IV fluids to match urine output.