Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a complication of infusion therapy?

1. Phlebitis

2. Infection

3. Lower blood pressure

4. Thrombophlebitis

The correct answer is: Lower blood pressure

Infusion therapy, while essential in medical practice, can lead to various complications that affect patients' health during treatments. Among these, phlebitis, infection, and thrombophlebitis are well-documented complications associated with intravenous therapy. Phlebitis refers to the inflammation of a vein, which can occur as a reaction to the cannula or the infused solution. Infection can arise at the insertion site or through the catheter itself, leading to serious systemic infections if not properly managed. Thrombophlebitis combines features of both phlebitis and thrombosis, where the vein becomes inflamed and a thrombus (blood clot) forms, posing additional risks to the patient. Lower blood pressure, on the other hand, is not a direct complication of infusion therapy itself. While certain medications administered via infusion may have hypotensive effects, this is not a generalized complication of the infusion process but rather an effect of specific drugs. Therefore, the identification of lower blood pressure as a non-complication holds up, as it relates more to the pharmacological properties of substances rather than to the infusion treatment as a procedure.