The effect of cold gel pack application in the prevention of amiodarone-related phlebitis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cold application on amiodarone-related vein phlebitis. A quasi-experimental design was used. The study sample consisted of 79 patients who received an amiodarone infusion. The control group of the study consisted of patients receiving amiodarone treatment, while the intervention group consisted of patients receiving cold application during the amiodarone infusion. In the intervention group, after the start of amiodarone treatment, cold gel packs were applied a total of 12 times for 15 min at 2-h intervals. The rate of phlebitis development was 59% in the intervention group and 95% in the control group (p < .001). It was found that 52.2% of the patients in the intervention group had first grade phlebitis and 84.4% of the patients in the control group who developed phlebitis had second grade phlebitis (p < .001). The 15-min cold application was found to be effective in terms of the rate of phlebitis development, phlebitis grade and time of phlebitis development. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05058053).