benefit of intravenous, patient controlled (IV PCA) versus intravenous, intramuscular, and transdermal iontophoretic pain medication administration
Advantages and Disadvantages of Modes of Drug Administration
| IV PCA | Intermittent IV | Intramuscular | Transdermal Iontophoretic System | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access for the patient: | Readily available when needed | Needs trained personnel | Needs trained personnel | Easy, noninvasive |
| Bioavailability: | Good | Good | Depends on tissue perfusion | Depends on tissue perfusion |
| Risk of significant side effects: | Less likely of overdose | Overdose more likely | Overdose more likely, painful, risk of infection | Less likely overdose |
| Expense: | Expensive machine, low cost of maintenance | Potentially high administration cost | Potentially high administration cost | Only device cost |
IV PCA , Intravenous patient controlled analgesia.
