In the hospital, my wife was getting antibiotics via the drip and it took about 20 minutes for the bag to empty. Now, at home, where we’re doing it using a syringe via a PIC line, we’re advised to administer the 20 ml of antibiotic over a 15-20 minutes span. The saline solution and the heparin syringes get emptied all at once, but the antibiotic has to go slowly. Why? What’s the problem with pushing it in all at once?
What is the medication?
PICC lines are fairly close to the central circulation, so a reasonable amount of caution for drugs that are potential irritants (for example, to cardiac electrophysiology or vascular walls or effects on blood elements themselves) is a good idea. Slow administration allows for dilution.
Even administered peripherally, many drugs (including antibiotics) are administered slowly because either the drug or the diluent necessary for that drug are problematic if given as a large, rapid bolus.
This is ceftazidime.
Also, because if you develop an allergy to it, you would rather not have given the entire dose all at once. You can’t really undo a fast IV push. You can remove ceftazidime with dialysis in an emergency, but it’s really better if you can stop the infusion and let the kidneys handle it if you notice a bad reaction.
Your wife’s doctor has already sped it up as much as s/he feels safe doing. The standard infusion time for that drug is half an hour.