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The most usual ways are…
- by injection into a vein
This is called an intravenous bolus. Your nurse will put a very fine tube (a cannula) into your vein and tape it to your arm. The drugs are then injected slowly through the tube. - through a drip
This is called an intravenous infusion. Again, your nurse puts a cannula into your vein and tapes it to your arm. The drugs are diluted into a large amount of liquid and put into a bag. The bag is linked to the cannula by a long, thin tube. The drugs travel slowly through the tube and into your vein. It may take anything from half an hour to a few hours to give you the drugs this way. - through a central catheter
This means putting a long, thin plastic tube into a vein in your chest. It is then taped in place so it doesn't move about. The line can stay in place for many months. It means that you don't have to have injections every time you come for your treatment - instead, your nurse can give you your drugs through the line.
There are different types of central line:-
