Bacteriostatic Water vs Sterile Water for Injection
Many people believe that bacteriostatic and sterile water are the same, which can lead to disastrous results. Healthcare workers, athletes, and patients, among others, use sterile solutions to help with irrigation, injections, and medication delivery.
Since we now can take medications in the comfort of our homes, education on these solutions is crucial. While both are sterile and have similar uses, they have different indications and demographics. Let’s see how they differ and what their uses are.
What is bacteriostatic water?
This highly purified and sterilized water contains 0.9% benzyl alcohol. It is used to dissolve or dilute medication and ensure proper consistency for injection. Bacteriostatic water has a pH of about 5.7.
You can reenter the container multiple times with a sterile needle, while benzyl alcohol is added to prevent bacteria from growing since diluted medications with tainted water can have severe consequences.
Benzyl alcohol is an ideal solution because it makes sure that bacteriostatic water can dilute any drug that will be administered subcutaneously, intravenously, or intramuscularly. Once you open a vial of BW, the benzyl alcohol will prevent bacterial growth for up to 28 days.
There are many side effects linked to bacteriostatic water. Even though they are rare, they can occur, and they are more related to the drug that is dissolved in BW. Do not inject bacteriostatic water clean without mixing it with medication because it can cause red blood cell lysis. This is a condition that causes a membrane or cell to break down.
Other side effects that have been reported include infection at the injection site, venous thrombosis, tissue death, abscess formation, fever, and febrile responses. If you notice any of the mentioned side effects, stop using BW.
Where to get bacteriostatic water?
You must be wondering where to buy bac water. It’s quite easy to get ahold of this substance online or through various suppliers such as Amazon and others. But we strongly recommend you get BW from a pharmacy or a medical supplier.
If you need bacteriostatic water, you can shop for this substance at your local pharmacy or have a trusted supplier for this product. Despite what you see online, it’s not safe to make bacteriostatic water at home because this is one of the places that people inhabit and has a lot of bacteria and fungi.
Uses of Bacteriostatic water?
BW has a lot of uses, not only in the medical field but most commonly in the application of medicine. For example, you can use bacteriostatic water on the following occasions:
To dilute concentrated liquid medications
To prepare powdered medications for injection
To clean equipment and prevent bacterial growth
Can BW go bad?
Yes, bacteriostatic water can go bad, and it’s recommended that you use it within 28 days or dispose of it afterward. This is because benzyl alcohol loses its effectiveness as a preservative with repetitive use and exposure.
Since you can’t notice a bacterial infection, it’s best to throw it away 28 days after its initial use. To properly store BW, you need a relatively cool location, between 60 and 80 Fahrenheit. Make sure to keep it out of sunlight, preferably in a cabinet.
What is sterile water?
Sterile water doesn’t contain additives or preservatives. Therefore, it can’t transfer pathogens; in most cases, it’s used in the medical field. Once you open a vial of sterile water, you need to use it at once and discard the empty vial. This is one of the reasons why an empty vile of sterile water contains only a couple of milliliters of liquid.
If you take it in small doses, there are no side effects linked to sterile water. However, you should never take it intravenously. However, a small number of people reported inflammation at the injection site when sterile water was used to dilute peptides that were supposed to be injected intramuscularly.
Additional side effects include electrolyte imbalance, redness, fever, allergic reactions, fluid overload, hyponatremia, and low blood sodium. If you experience some of these side effects, immediately stop using sterile water and talk to your doctor.
What are the side effects of sterile water?
The common side effects include low blood sodium, fluid absorption, fluid overload, and electrolyte imbalance.
Dosage
When it comes to dosage, it depends on the type of procedure, capacity, and surface area.
Sterile water and purity
This is purified water and has a pH between 5.0 to 7.0. It doesn’t contain antimicrobial agents or preservatives. This type of solution is available for injection use in subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous areas.
However, separate formulations are used for irrigation, such as diluting, rising, and washing. It’s important to check your mixture because these two formulations cannot be interchangeable. You can use sterile water only once, and its reuse is strictly prohibited.
Considering it doesn’t contain antimicrobials; sterile water can be easily contaminated.