Administration of drugs
Administration routesand pharmaceutical form
Tea Baršić
Mirna KudlačMentor: A. Žmegač
Horvat
Methods of administering drugs
oral administration sublingual administration rectal administration parenteral administration inhalation topical application
Pros & Cons
convenient for the patient
can be done at home
possible destruction or inactivation
possibly not absorbable
useless in emergency
Sublingual administration
under the tongue absorption into sublingual veins
form: tablets
example: nitroglycerin
Rectal administration
into the rectum when vomiting or unable to swallow
form: suppositories aqueous solutions
Parenteral administration
intracavitary intradermal intramuscular intrathecal intravenous iubcutaneous
form: injections
Intracavitary injection
into a body cavity (e.g. peritoneal, pleural)
example: nitrogen mustard (intrapleural, prevents fluid accumulation)
Intramuscular injection
into muscle (buttock or upper arm) when irritating to skin when large amounts of long-acting
drug needed example: adrenaline
Intrathecal injection
into space under meninges surrounding spinal cord & brain
example: methotrexate (in leukemia)
Intravenous injection into a vein for immediate effect when unsafe for other tissues good technical skill needed
(leakage may cause irritation & inflammation)
example: heparin
Subcutaneous injection
into subcutaneous tissue (usually upper arm, thigh, abdomen)
example: insulin
Inhalation
into nose or mouth absorbed through alveoli
form: aerosols
example: anesthetics, antiasthmatics
Topical application
locally on skin or mucous membranes
form: lotions creams ointments transdermal patches eyedrops, eardrops, nasal drops