Abstract

STUDY ON INTRAVENOUS FLUID THERAPY IN INPATIENTS OF KANTI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN NEPAL

Nabin Pathak and Sangita Shakya*

ABSTRACT

Background: Managing fluids and electrolytes in children is an important skill for pharmacists, who can play an important role in monitoring therapy. A proper prescribing of intravenous fluids requires understanding of the physiology of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis, physiological responses to injury and disease, as well as knowledge of the properties of intravenous fluids. Organizing fluid therapy into maintenance, deficit, and replacement requirements, and then monitoring the patient for response to therapy makes fluid therapy manageable. Methodology: A hospital based observational, prospective study was conducted at inpatient department of Kanti Children's Hospital, Kathmandu, for a period of three months in about 384 pediatric inpatients aged up to 12 years to whom at least one Intravenous fluid was prescribed and the samples were selected by using simple random sampling technique. Results: In this study, three hundred eighty four pediatric inpatient were enrolled. Among them 255 were male and 129 were female. Age group 12-60 months was mostly seen. The most common five diagnosis for which Intravenous fluid were prescribed included Diarrhea induced dehydration 170 which was followed by surgical cases, sepsis and septic shock, Renal concentrating defects and Emesis and Naso-gastric loss. Among these conditions the fluid to be used in highest order was 5% Dextrose with half NS which was followed by Ringer lactate, Dextrose Normal Saline solution, Isotonic saline (0.9% NS), Potassium chloride and Sodium bicarbonate. Conclusion: In this study, 5 % Dextrose with half NS and Ringer's lactate were the frequently used Intravenous fluids for Diarrhea induced dehydration and surgical cases.

Keywords: Intravenous fluid therapy, Inpatient, Electrolytes.