Artificial Hydration and Nutrition
In some cases, such as fainting, healing from temporary problem, or when someone has an advanced life threatening illness and is dying, artificial hydration and nutrition became an important way to provide them with the necessary food, vitamins, and medications. Since these people are not able to swallow, so, they are given fluids and nutrition in other ways. Sometimes, patients are given fluids and nutrition, if it is needed, through an intravenous (IV) catheter, which is a tube made from plastic ends with a needle, the needle is placed directly in the vein. Another method is by putting a tube into the stomach passing through the nose and throat; this way of artificial nutrition and hydration is called NG tube. Since NG cannot be left for a long time in the patient’s body (usually 1 to 4 weeks), another type of feeding tube can be used, called a PEG tube or g-tube; this type is placed into the wall of the stomach.
As we said before, sometimes a person may not be able to swallow food or water because of a temporary illness, this situation may threaten the person’s life. If a person does not receive any food or fluids for a long time, he will Collapse and fall into a deep sleep (coma) which usually end with dyeing within one to three weeks. The shortage of fluids in the human body is called dehydration; it may causes disruption for the patient, in such cases artificial hydration and nutrition can help to recover him or her, fluids and nutrition are given through a tube to help dehydration and may lessen his or her disruption. However, in some cases where a patient has an advanced life-threatening illness and is dying, artificial hydration and nutrition may not help; it may prolong the patient live a little, but not always.
The artificial hydration and nutrition use should be discussed with the family and the doctor. The doctor should know the patient’s medical condition to be able to explain benefits and risks of using this method on the patient health and to decide if it is necessary to use such medication. Do not use it without permission from the doctor, it may cause one on the following risks or problems:
- If the liquid entered the lungs it will cause coughing and pneumonia.
- It is not comfortable
- It may cause pain, nausea and vomiting.
- It may cause infections.
- The patients should be physically restrained or sedated in some cases to keep them from pulling out the feeding tube.
Tags: Artificial, Hydration, Nutrition
By admin | 27. Jan 2012 | Uncategorized | No Comments »