What is the main use of a central venous catheter?

• A. Administering medications
• B. Measuring arterial pressure
• C. Delivering nutrition via the gut
• D. Monitoring brain activity

Answer: (C)

A central venous catheter is primarily used to gain reliable access to the central venous system for delivering therapies directly into the bloodstream, which is essential for administering medications that may irritate or be difficult to give through peripheral veins, delivering fluids and blood products quickly, and drawing blood or monitoring hemodynamics. It’s also used for parenteral nutrition when the gut can’t be used, but that nutrition is given intravenously, not through the gut.

Among the options, administering medications best fits the main role of a central venous catheter because it directly provides the safe, reliable venous access needed for drug delivery. Measuring arterial pressure requires an arterial line, feeding nutrition via the gut refers to enteral nutrition (not through a central venous catheter), and monitoring brain activity is not something a central venous catheter does.