In order to reach the bloodstream, the drug needs to pass through the intestinal wall and liver which can chemically alter the drug. As a result, the amount of drug absorbed in the body is lower than the amount of drug administered initially. Specific instructions should be followed to maximize absorption. The drug is placed under the tongue sublingual or between the gums and teeth buccal. It dissolves and enters the bloodstream directly through the small blood vessels beneath the tongue.
These drugs should not be swallowed, and require special formulation that enables its disintegration in the mouth. The drug is administered in the rectum as a suppository. The drug is formulated with a waxy substance that dissolves or liquefies after it is inserted into the rectum. It is easily absorbed into the bloodstream through the rich blood supply present in the rectum wall.
Most drugs that can be taken orally can also be administered rectally as a suppository. The drug is administered vaginally as a solution, tablet, cream, gel, suppository or ring. It is absorbed through the vaginal wall.
Vaginal symptoms such as dryness, soreness and redness during menopause can be relieved by applying estrogen through the vaginal route. The drug is applied into the eye as liquid, gel or ointment. Liquid eye drops may have lower absorption as the drug may run off the eye quickly. It only produces local effect in the eyes and there is minimum systemic absorption. The drug is administered in the outer ear canal as liquid drops. The drug is breathed in and absorbed through the thin mucous membranes that lines the nasal passage.
Some drugs can irritate the nasal passage. Antiemetics can be administered rectally to treat nausea and vomiting, and paracetamol can be given to treat patients with a pyrexia who are unable to swallow.
The topical application of medicines has obvious advantages in the management of localised disease. The medicine is available almost directly at the intended site of action, and because the systemic circulation is not reached in great concentration, the risk of systemic side-effects is reduced. Examples of topical medicines include:. Topical administration has also become a popular way of introducing medicines into the systemic circulation through the skin. The development of transdermal patches that contain drugs began with the introduction of a hyoscine-based product for the treatment of nausea in the early s Pastore et al, The transdermal route is not without its problems — for example, some preparations can cause local skin reactions Pastore et al, , and the adhesiveness of some patches can be a limitation.
However, many patients find it a welcome alternative to taking tablets. Medicines should only be administered via fine-bore enteral feeding tubes after other routes have been considered.
Most medicines are not licensed for enteral administration and this route is complex from a medico-legal perspective. Interactions that may compromise the effectiveness of a medicine can occur between the medicine and the enteral feed and clinically significant interactions include phenytoin, warfarin and flucloxacillin. Medicines that have to be specially prepared as liquids to enable administration via enteral tube incur significant additional costs, and consideration should be given to alternatives before these are requested.
A pharmacist should, therefore, be involved in any decision to administer medicines via this route. BAPEN British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition has produced information about administration of medicines via enteral feeding tubes as well as useful information leaflets for patients. Parenteral administration refers to any non-oral means of medicine administration, but is generally interpreted as relating to injecting directly into the body, bypassing the skin and mucous membranes.
Box 3 outlines the advantages and disadvantages of parenteral routes. Parenteral administration requires an appropriate injection technique. If performed incorrectly — for example using the wrong size needle or cannula — it can cause damage to nerves, muscle and vasculature and may adversely affect drug absorption.
For example, inadvertent administration of subcutaneous insulin into muscle can result in rapid absorption and hypoglycaemic episodes Dougherty and Lister, For example, the formulation of antipsychotic agents, such as flupentixol in oil, allows them to be administered once a month or every three months. The IV route carries the greatest risk of any route of medicine administration. By administering directly into the systemic circulation, either by direct injection or infusion, the medicine is instantaneously distributed to its sites of action.
Those administering IV medicines must have appropriate training and be deemed competent to undertake the procedure Dougherty and Lister, It is important that any nurse administrating medicines or delegating this procedure to another member of their team understands the different routes of medicines administration and their limitations. This will enable them to assess the effectiveness of the medicine being administered and to identify any potential problems the patient may be experiencing with the treatment.
Part 2 of this series outlines the procedure for the safe administration of medicines. November 10, ; October 11, ; November 8, ; January 29, ; April 21, ; November 14, ; December 21, ; October 20, ; January 11, Route of Administration.
Data Element OID: 2. This standard provides for all routes of administration for drugs. FDA Specifications. FDA Approved Date. Synonymous with the term intracervical.. Administration directed toward the cheek, generally from within the mouth.
Administration to the conjunctiva, the delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eyeball. Facebook Twitter. What is administration of medication and what are the different routes?
There are many reasons for treating patients with medication, with the main three being: Diagnosis — This is to investigate the cause of the illness or examine the nature of the symptoms. Prevention — Medication to stop the illness or disease being developed. What is administration of medication? The 6 routes of medication administration When you think of taking medicine, you probably imagine swallowing a pill or receiving an injection.
To get a better understanding, here are the 6 most common routes: Oral — Swallowed through the patients mouth as either a tablet, liquid, capsule, lozenge or chewable tablet. The drug is administered rectally as a suppository. Inhalation — Medication is inhaled through the patients airway in the form of a powder, aerosol spray or mist. This is most commonly used with a mask or tube, such as an inhaler.
Nebulization — A nebulizer is a machine that allows the patient to inhale the drug as a very fine mist. This is similar to inhalation. Transdermal — This is a way to get the drug through the skin into the body without breaking the surface. A patch is placed on the patients skin with the medicine sometimes mixed with a chemical that penetrates into the blood stream.
Injection — The four injection routes include intrathecal into the spine , subcutaneous under the skin , intravenous into a vein and intramuscular into a muscle.
The 5 rights of medication administration For safe medication administration, there is training, guidelines, competencies and good practice that we strictly follow at AJ Case Management.
To give you an idea of the safe practices we follow everyday with our patients, here are the 5 rights of medication administration: Right Patient — The patient must identify themselves, so the name can be checked on the order. Two or more identifiers should be provided. Right Medication — The prescription is thoroughly checked by reading the type of medicine it is and the expiry date to make sure this is correct. Right Dose — The dosage is assessed against the type of medication to confirm it is appropriate.
Right Route — Using our own knowledge and the information on the label we assess whether the right route of administration has been recommended. Right Time — The frequency of the medication is checked so that we can confirm we are giving the patient their medicine at the right time.
Administration of Rescue Medication — Buccal Midazolam, GTN for Autonomic Dysreflexia When we refer to rescue medication, we are talking about medicine that is administered to give immediate relief for the symptoms of the condition. What type of illnesses should rescue medication be used for?
0コメント