Blood substitutes
Main article: Blood substitute
Blood substitutes (also called artificial blood or blood surrogates) are artificial substances aiming to provide an alternative to blood-based products acquired from donors.
The main blood substitutes used today are volume expanders such as crystalloids and colloids mentioned above. Also, oxygen-carrying substitutes are emerging.
Buffer solutions
Buffer solutions are used to correct acidosis or alkalosis. Lactated Ringer's solution also has some buffering effect. A solution more specifically used for buffering purpose is intravenous sodium bicarbonate.
Other medications
Medications may be mixed into the fluids mentioned above. Certain types of medications can only be given intravenously, such as when there is insufficient uptake by other routes of administration such as enterally. Examples include intravenous immunoglobulin and propofol.
Intravenous access devices[edit]
These can all be used to obtain blood (e.g. for testing), also known as phlebotomy as well as for the administration of medication/fluids.