Last week a 64 year old man visited a Kansas City spa for a vitamin treatment administered via intravenous infusion. It was not his first time receiving such a treatment, but this time his visit did not go as planned. He started feeling sick after the treatment began and vomited. He left the facility and died several hours later. His death has not been linked to the IV treatment and is still being investigated.
IV services in Kansas City
These intravenous infusion businesses are fairly new in Kansas City. People may seek IV infusion treatments at a spa or they may request a mobile IV to visit their home. wrongful death attorneys Kansas City have followed the inception of these businesses in Kansas City and note that there is quite a bit of skepticism in the medical community regarding the safety and effectiveness of these IV services.
IV treatment claims
IV services sold as a hangover cure first became popular in Las Vegas and have slowly caught on in other cities. Different types of drips are offered to customers including drips for hydration, vitamin infusion, and healing. For example, some of drips are meant to give a vitamin boost to help with immunities and illness prevention or anti nausea and hydrating drips for hangover cures. Other drips are available for jet lag recovery or as preparation for an athletic event.
Critics
Critics say that promises about these IV cocktails may not be true. Some say that IVs are probably not more effective than drinking water and taking a vitamin and that people can generally get all of the vitamins and minerals they need orally. They also refer to the placebo effect that IVs may have on people who simply believe they feel better after treatments. Additionally, critics also point to the potential risk of infection and other health complications with IV treatments that have not been proven to have any healing powers.
Potential dangers
Potential concerns and risks with IV treatments that have been raised by medical professionals include the following:
- Infection from IVs due to toxins and bacteria
- Improper IV administration leading to a stroke-causing embolism
- Fluid leakage into nearby tissues
- Not having a thorough knowledge of a customer’s medical history can be another problem, especially when it comes to kidney and liver function
- Infusion rates can affect electrolyte balances
- Infusion could overload fluid levels, which could then cause swelling of the brain, heart failure, or kidney damage
- If an IV contains too much salt, it could harm people with heart disease or high blood pressure
- Someone with an unknown health issue such as influenza may seek an IV infusion treatment to feel better which may delay a trip to the doctor for necessary diagnosis and treatment
For now, the previously mentioned IV infusion treatment has not been linked to the Kansas City man’s death, but health professionals critical of the practice do have some real health and safety concerns. If you or a loved one has sustained serious injuries or death due to a holistic treatment or other type of personal injury accident, contact a Kansas City wrongful death attorney at Mayer & Rosenberg, P.C. to schedule consultation.