View source for Bolus (medicine)

In medicine, a '''bolus''' (from [[Latin]] ''[[Wiktionary:bolus|bolus]]'', ball) is the administration of a [[medication]], [[drug]] or other compound that is given to raise its concentration in [[blood]] to an [[effective dose|effective level]].  The administration can be given [[Intravenous therapy|intravenously]], by [[Intramuscular injection|intramuscular]], [[intrathecal]] or [[Subcutaneous_injection|subcutaneous]] [[injection (medicine)|injection]]. 

==Bolus placement==
The placement of the bolus depends on the systemic levels of the contents desired throughout the body.  An intramuscular bolus is used in the administration of [[vaccine]]s to allow a slow release of the antigen to stimulate the body's [[immune system]] and allow time to develop [[antibody|antibodies]].   Subcutaneous injections are used by [[heroin]] addicts (called 'skin popping', referring to the bump formed by the bolus of heroin), to sustain a slow release that staves off [[withdrawal]] symptoms without producing [[euphoria (emotion)|euphoria]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.metrokc.gov/health/apu/harmred/muscling.htm | title = HIV/AIDS Program:  Muscling and skin popping | date = 2003-11-19 | format = html | language = english | accessdate = 2007-10-30 | publisher = Seattle and King County Public Health Department}}</ref>

A bolus delivered directly to the veins through an [[Intravenous therapy|intravenous drip]] allows a much faster delivery which quickly raises the concentration of the substance in the blood to an effective level.  This is typically done at the beginning of a treatment or after a removal of medicine from blood (e.g. through [[dialysis]]).

==Diabetes==
[[Diabetics]] and health care professionals use bolus to refer to a dosage of fast-acting [[insulin]] with a meal (as opposed to [[basal (medicine)|basal rate]], which is a dose of slow-acting insulin or the continuous pumping of a small quantity of fast-acting insulin to cover the [[glucose]] output of the [[liver]]).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.diabetescaregroup.info/insulin-pump-terminology | title = Insulin Pump Terminology | date = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-07-13}}</ref>

==Veterinary medicine==
In [[veterinary medicine]] a '''bolus''' is a large time-release tablet that stays in the [[rumen]] of [[cattle]], [[goats]] and [[sheep]]. It can also refer to a dose of liquid injected [[subcutaneous injection|subcutaneously]] with a [[hypodermic needle]], such as [[saline (medicine)|saline solution]] administered either to counteract [[dehydration]] or especially to mitigate [[kidney failure]], a common ailment in [[cat|domestic cats]]. Before it is fully absorbed, which can take several minutes or longer, the liquid remains in the form of a '''bolus''', a ball or lump under the animal's [[skin]].

==References==
{{wiktionary|bolus}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://vam.anest.ufl.edu/maren/secondorderstochasticsim2.html Free Stochastic Simulation of a Bolus in a Two Compartment Pharmacokinetic Model] (requires ActiveX)

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