What is Bacteriostatic Water?

You may have required an injection at some time in your life and perhaps you noticed your doctor or a nurse draw up a clear liquid from a vial in a syringe through a needle and then insert the clear liquid into another vial that contains a powder. This is then shaken and drawn up again and injected into a vein, muscle, or just under your skin. The clear liquid is usually a diluting agent (diluent) that is needed as part of a medicinal preparation.

Bacteriostatic Water is the clear liquid in this case and it consists of 30ml of sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol that is added in order to suppress or prevent the growth of bacteria in the vial in the event that an unsterilized needle is used to draw out the diluent. The vials are designed for enduring multiple entries so it is very important that bacteria is not passed on to other patients or contaminates a vial of a prepared injectible medication.

Proper Use of Bacteriostatic Water

Bacteriostatic Water should not be injected into a vein (intravenously), muscle(intramuscular), or under the skin (subcutaneously) without a diluted compound or it may cause the rupture of some red blood cells because these cells and the diluent do not contain the same concentration of solutes. Some medications are available in a dry form so they can be stored for a longer period. Once reconstituted, the drug should be used as soon as possible as it will have a limited shelf life.

Possible Side Effects with the Use of Bacteriostatic Water

• Tenderness at injection site
• Redness from the injection
• Possible infection

Adverse reactions could be caused by the Bacteriostatic Water, the drug reconstituted with it, or even the manner in which the injection was given.

Other Solutions Used to Reconstitute Drugs

• Normal Saline (for injection)
• Bacteriostatic 0.9% Sodium Chloride