Infusion therapy is when you receive medication through a needle usually intravenously (IV).

Some drugs can’t be taken orally because they lose their effectiveness when exposed to your digestive system. Infusion therapy is an alternative when there’s no comparable oral therapy or when you’re unable to take oral medication.

If you’ve ever spent time in a hospital, you probably had an IV to make sure you stayed hydrated and to have other medications delivered quickly, if needed. That’s a type of infusion therapy. 

Infusion therapy can also be used to deliver nutrition, as well as many types of medications, including :

• antibiotics
• antiemetics
• antifungals
• antivirals
• biologics
• blood factors
• chemotherapy
• corticosteroids
• growth hormones
• immunoglobulin replacement
• immunotherapy
• inotropic heart medications

Infusion therapy is also often used because it allows for controlled dosing. Other drugs need to reach the bloodstream quickly.