Role of intravenous heparin and hydrocortisone in prevention of infusion thrombophlebitis.

ABSTRACT

In a study conducted on 110 patients intravenous heparin and cortisone were studied as regards their role in prevention of infusion thrombophlebitis. Intravenous heparin (500 I.U.) was given 6 hourly during the 24 hr period of saline infusion. Hydrocortisone (1 mg/100 ml) was added to the infusion itself. Of the 30 patients in the control group 3 patients developed thrombophlebitis (10%). In the group treated with intravenous heparin 3 out of the 40 patients (7.5%) developed thrombophlebitis. With hydrocortisone, only 1 out of 40 patients had thrombophlebitis, (2.5%). In the group in which hydrocortisone was used, the onset of phlebitis was also delayed.