Is it possible to replace body fluids, including electrolytes, and which drug is used for this very often?
Ringer's solution. The use and description of the drug
Ringer's solution is a clear liquid, which contains sodium, calcium and potassium chlorides. The main purpose of this solution is to compensate for losses in the body of extracellular fluid along with basic electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium) and chlorides.
As a rule, Ringer's solution is used to study the activity of tissues or perfusion of individual organs. With brilliant preservative properties, it allows you to permanently preserve the functionality and physiological properties of living tissues. That is why Ringer's solution has found the greatest application in medical experiments and transplantology. It is also actively used to treat animals, supporting the viability of their internal organs.
However, the drug found its main use in shock, collapse, frostbite, burns, prolonged diarrhea and vomiting. It has a detoxifying effect, stabilizing and correcting the electrolyte and water composition of the blood. Ringer's solution has been successfully used as an aid in the dehydration of genesis, hypovolemic shock, hyponatremia, metabolic acidosis with abundant fluid loss.
The daily dose of the drug is 5-20 ml / kg for adults. In this case, the dosage of the drug can be increased if necessary by 2 times. The rate of administration is approximately 30 drops / min. The maximum amount of solution introduced into the body per day should not exceed 3 liters. In case of an overdose, there is an increased concentration of electrolytes in the blood and an imbalance in the acid-base balance, which leads to difficulty breathing, worsening of general well-being or loss of consciousness.
Contraindications to the use of Ringer's solution are:
- pulmonary or brain edema,
- heart failure,
- oliguria,
- anuria
- hypervolemia,
- acidosis,
- chronic renal failure,
- hyperchloremia,
- hypernatremia or hypercalcemia.
The drug is also limited for patients with hypersensitivity to the key components of the solution (calcium, potassium and sodium chlorides. They can cause allergic manifestations, and you should be careful with this.
Ringer Locke's solution can actively interact with other drugs. That is why sodium retention in the body can be observed while taking anabolic drugs, corticotropin, estrogens, mineralocorticoids, ganglion blockers, or various vasodilators. During pregnancy, the drug is possibly excluded or used only in cases where the benefit exceeds the risk factor for the fetus. Breast-feeding while taking Ringer's solution is prohibited, as its components pass through the mother’s milk to the baby, causing an allergic reaction or triggering malignant processes in his body (not always, but this, unfortunately, is possible). At this time, if it is necessary to introduce a solution, it is better to switch to high-quality and proven infant formulas.
Ringer's solution is available in a clear solution vial. The drug is dispensed in pharmacies only by prescription and is stored in a dry place where access for children is limited. Injections of drugs are allowed only in medical institutions or with the direct participation of a medical professional. It is allowed to use only intact vials with an unexpired shelf life, which, as a rule, is no more than two years. If the Ringer's solution is cloudy, the drug should not be used, even if the information on the package is not in doubt.