Clipping Board » Medical Myths ─ The truth about healthcare is often different from what you intuitively think.
【2006/07/26 Min Sheng Daily】【Reporter Xue Guiwen / Report】
Taiwanese have always been superstitious about the miraculous effects of "drip therapy." Whether it's fatigue, fever, dizziness, or discomfort, people are accustomed to receiving large amounts of intravenous drips. According to the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA), there are over 2.4 million outpatient claims for large-volume intravenous drips annually. In one clinic, nearly one out of every five patients receives a drip. However, experts believe that, unless necessary, most people do not actually need intravenous drips, and the public may be wasting money and harming their health.
Dr. Huang Fuyuan, Vice President of Mackay Memorial Hospital, stated that the culture of "drip therapy" in Taiwan has a long history. The Department of Health once estimated that Taiwanese use approximately 33 million bottles of intravenous fluids annually, costing the National Health Insurance (NHI) NT$1.1 billion, not including out-of-pocket expenses. Due to the profitability, he has seen hospitals set up "drip rooms" specifically for patients to receive intravenous drips.
Dr. Li Bingying, a pediatrician at National Taiwan University Hospital, said that this trend of intravenous drips is particularly prevalent in local clinics. He mentioned that some of his students who opened clinics were taught by senior doctors to prepare red and yellow drips for different needs. However, it is speculated that the red drip is simply a high concentration of vitamin B12, while the yellow drip contains vitamin B complex. The cost is low, but a bottle can be charged at NT$300 to NT$500.
NHIA data also shows that some clinics report unusually high rates of intravenous drip usage. On average, one out of every 2,000 patients in a general clinic receives a drip, but some clinics have rates exceeding 20%, meaning nearly one out of every five patients receives a drip. The NHIA has noticed this anomaly and will conduct inspections.
The NHIA stated that, in fact, large-volume intravenous drips are typically only necessary when patients cannot or should not eat (e.g., gastrointestinal bleeding or obstruction), when medication must be administered intravenously (e.g., antibiotics or chemotherapy drugs), or in cases of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, severe hypoglycemia requiring rapid correction, or emergency situations such as coma or shock. Therefore, intravenous drips are generally unnecessary in outpatient settings.
Further analysis reveals that most intravenous fluids consist of saline, glucose, or fructose solutions, sometimes with added vitamins. Their nutritional value may be lower than that of a bottle of sports drink. For example, a 500cc bottle of 5% glucose solution contains only 25 grams of glucose, which is less than a bowl of porridge.
Dr. Li Bingying explained that many people feel more energetic after receiving a drip, but this is not due to any miraculous effect of the fluid. Instead, it is because they are forced to rest while receiving the drip, which naturally improves their energy levels. However, the public often misunderstands this and spreads misinformation. Many celebrities also frequently use intravenous drips to indicate poor health, leading to the normalization of this misconception over time.
Doctors warn that some conditions are not suitable for intravenous drips. For example, patients with myocarditis or myocardial infarction may face an increased risk of worsening heart failure. Excessive drips can also lead to water intoxication or increased kidney burden. Therefore, unless necessary, intravenous drips may do more harm than good.
Dr. Shi Xianyan, a practicing pediatrician, believes that while some doctors do misuse intravenous drips, there are also cases where patients strongly demand them, even threatening to sever ties with the doctor if their demands are not met. In such situations, doctors may feel pressured to comply. From another perspective, intravenous drips do have a psychological therapeutic effect for some people. Thus, doctors often face a dilemma between adhering to medical principles and ensuring patient comfort, making it difficult to strike a balance.
Common Misconceptions About Intravenous Drips:
★ Can intravenous drips replenish energy or nutrition when feeling fatigued?
Correct Answer: Most intravenous fluids contain only water, electrolytes, glucose, and vitamins. Unless a patient cannot eat, receiving a drip is less efficient than consuming food directly. The feeling of increased energy after a drip is mainly due to resting while receiving the drip, not the drip itself.★ Does getting an IV help reduce fever?
Correct answer: Fever occurs due to issues with the body's temperature regulation system in the brain or infections. An IV has no therapeutic effect on this and cannot reduce fever.
★ Can getting an IV sober you up and refresh you when drunk?
Correct answer: Alcohol must be metabolized by the liver to be expelled from the body. An IV does not assist the liver's metabolic function, so it cannot sober you up or refresh you. Instead, it may increase the burden on the kidneys to excrete urine.
★ Can getting an IV improve frequent dizziness and discomfort in the elderly?
Correct answer: There are many causes of dizziness, and it should be properly diagnosed by a doctor before treating the specific cause. IV fluids do not contain ingredients that treat dizziness and may instead delay proper treatment.
"Big Tube Hanging" for Fever and Hangover? Wrong!
Taiwanese have always been superstitious about the miraculous effects of "drip therapy." Whether it's fatigue, fever, dizziness, or discomfort, people are accustomed to receiving large amounts of intravenous drips. According to the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA), there are over 2.4 million outpatient claims for large-volume intravenous drips annually. In one clinic, nearly one out of every five patients receives a drip. However, experts believe that, unless necessary, most people do not actually need intravenous drips, and the public may be wasting money and harming their health.
Dr. Huang Fuyuan, Vice President of Mackay Memorial Hospital, stated that the culture of "drip therapy" in Taiwan has a long history. The Department of Health once estimated that Taiwanese use approximately 33 million bottles of intravenous fluids annually, costing the National Health Insurance (NHI) NT$1.1 billion, not including out-of-pocket expenses. Due to the profitability, he has seen hospitals set up "drip rooms" specifically for patients to receive intravenous drips.
Dr. Li Bingying, a pediatrician at National Taiwan University Hospital, said that this trend of intravenous drips is particularly prevalent in local clinics. He mentioned that some of his students who opened clinics were taught by senior doctors to prepare red and yellow drips for different needs. However, it is speculated that the red drip is simply a high concentration of vitamin B12, while the yellow drip contains vitamin B complex. The cost is low, but a bottle can be charged at NT$300 to NT$500.
NHIA data also shows that some clinics report unusually high rates of intravenous drip usage. On average, one out of every 2,000 patients in a general clinic receives a drip, but some clinics have rates exceeding 20%, meaning nearly one out of every five patients receives a drip. The NHIA has noticed this anomaly and will conduct inspections.
The NHIA stated that, in fact, large-volume intravenous drips are typically only necessary when patients cannot or should not eat (e.g., gastrointestinal bleeding or obstruction), when medication must be administered intravenously (e.g., antibiotics or chemotherapy drugs), or in cases of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, severe hypoglycemia requiring rapid correction, or emergency situations such as coma or shock. Therefore, intravenous drips are generally unnecessary in outpatient settings.
Further analysis reveals that most intravenous fluids consist of saline, glucose, or fructose solutions, sometimes with added vitamins. Their nutritional value may be lower than that of a bottle of sports drink. For example, a 500cc bottle of 5% glucose solution contains only 25 grams of glucose, which is less than a bowl of porridge.
Dr. Li Bingying explained that many people feel more energetic after receiving a drip, but this is not due to any miraculous effect of the fluid. Instead, it is because they are forced to rest while receiving the drip, which naturally improves their energy levels. However, the public often misunderstands this and spreads misinformation. Many celebrities also frequently use intravenous drips to indicate poor health, leading to the normalization of this misconception over time.
Doctors warn that some conditions are not suitable for intravenous drips. For example, patients with myocarditis or myocardial infarction may face an increased risk of worsening heart failure. Excessive drips can also lead to water intoxication or increased kidney burden. Therefore, unless necessary, intravenous drips may do more harm than good.
Dr. Shi Xianyan, a practicing pediatrician, believes that while some doctors do misuse intravenous drips, there are also cases where patients strongly demand them, even threatening to sever ties with the doctor if their demands are not met. In such situations, doctors may feel pressured to comply. From another perspective, intravenous drips do have a psychological therapeutic effect for some people. Thus, doctors often face a dilemma between adhering to medical principles and ensuring patient comfort, making it difficult to strike a balance.
Common Misconceptions About Intravenous Drips:
★ Can intravenous drips replenish energy or nutrition when feeling fatigued?
Correct Answer: Most intravenous fluids contain only water, electrolytes, glucose, and vitamins. Unless a patient cannot eat, receiving a drip is less efficient than consuming food directly. The feeling of increased energy after a drip is mainly due to resting while receiving the drip, not the drip itself.★ Does getting an IV help reduce fever?
Correct answer: Fever occurs due to issues with the body's temperature regulation system in the brain or infections. An IV has no therapeutic effect on this and cannot reduce fever.
★ Can getting an IV sober you up and refresh you when drunk?
Correct answer: Alcohol must be metabolized by the liver to be expelled from the body. An IV does not assist the liver's metabolic function, so it cannot sober you up or refresh you. Instead, it may increase the burden on the kidneys to excrete urine.
★ Can getting an IV improve frequent dizziness and discomfort in the elderly?
Correct answer: There are many causes of dizziness, and it should be properly diagnosed by a doctor before treating the specific cause. IV fluids do not contain ingredients that treat dizziness and may instead delay proper treatment.