This document outlines various routes of drug administration and their effects. There are 11 main routes: oral, parenteral, rectal, sublingual, topical, transdermal, vaginal, aural, inhaled, nasal and ophthalmic. The route determines whether the drug has a local effect on tissues at the site of administration or a systemic effect on the entire body after absorption into bloodstream. Common forms of each route are described.

3. Drugs have to be absorbed
into the bloodstream in order
for them to reach the site
where the effects are needed.

4. Routes of Administration
 ROUTE – how and where a
drug is given to a patient.
 Depending on the route of
administration the drug will
have either a Local or
Systemic effect.

5. Routes of Administration
 LOCAL EFFECT – produced at
the site that the preparation is
applied.
 SYSTEMIC EFFECT – drug will
have a generalized effect on
the body, causing physical or
chemical changes to tissues in
the body.

6. Common routes of administration
1. Aural
2. Inhaled
3. Nasal
4. Ophthalmic
5. Oral
6. Parenteral
7. Rectal
8. Sublingual
9. Topical
10. Transdermal
11. Vaginal

7. 1. Aural
Pertaining to the ear
 Administering drug into the ear
 Most common products are ear drops
 Gives a local effect
DO NOT CONFUSE IT WITH
ORAL!

8. 2. Inhaled
 Breathing in a drug through nose and/or the mouth
 Can be used for drugs that need to act directly on
the respiratory tract i.e. having a local effect
 May also be used to produce a systemic effect by
being absorbed into the bloodstream via lungs e.g.
inhaler for asthma, oxygen for patients with
breathing problems, gases for local anaesthesia
 Sometimes abbreviated to ‘inh’ when written on
prescription

9. 3. Nasal
 Pertaining to the nose
Administering drug into the nose
Products used
Nose drops, Nose sprays, Inhalations,
creams (topical)
May produce a local or systemic effect

10. 4. Ophthalmic
Pertaining to the eye
Administering drug into the eye
Common preparations used are Eye
drops and Eye ointments
Produce a local effect

11. 5. Oral
Pertaining to the mouth
Administering drug into the mouth
Simplest and the easiest way for patient,
so it’s the most common route of
administration
Usually it has a systemic effect i.e. the
drug is absorbed into the blood stream

12. 6. Parenteral
An injection into the body through
the skin to generally produce a
systemic effect.
Products are called Injections or
Injectables
There are several different types of
injections

13. Parenteral
Three most common types:
1. Intravenous (IV)
2. Intramuscular (IM)
3. Subcutaneous (SC)

14.  Administered into the vein
 Drug is distributed around the body very quickly
 Small volume is being administered
Intravenous (IV)
Intramuscular (IM)
• Administered into the muscle
• Long acting than IV injections
• Most vaccines are given IM

15.  Administered into the skin (subcutaneous layer)
e.g. insulin
 Small volume is being administered
Subcutaneous (SC)
Intravenous Infusion (IVI)
• Administered into the veins
• Large volume of fluid is being administered
• Often given when lots of fluid needs to be given to
a patient (dehydrated pt) or for drugs that need to
be given over a long period of time

16.  Administered into the skin (dermis)
 A rare way of giving injections (skin allergy)
Intradermal (ID)
Intrathecal (IT)
• Administered into the spine
• Administered into the fluid of the spinal cord
• Its also a rare way of giving injection but
sometimes used for the drugs that need to act
in the spinal fluid. (Anesthesia)

17. Injections are administered if:
 The drug is not available in another
form (e.g. insulin broken down
when given orally and can only be
given by injection, at the moment)
 A patient is unconscious or
vomiting
 A rapid response is needed

19. Disadvantages of using injections:
 They break through the body’s natural
defense system, the skin.
 They can be painful
 If injection and equipment are not sterile
they can cause infection
 If not administered correctly then they can
cause abscess formation at the site of
injection
 They are expensive

20. 7. Rectal
 Drugs given into the Rectum
 Products are mostly administered to patients
who cannot take drugs orally e.g. if they are
vomiting (being sick)
 Better to use this route before using injection
 E.g. Suppositories, Enemas, Rectal Ointment
 Abbreviated to ‘PR’ – Per Rectal
 Gives both local and systemic effect

21. 8. Sublingual
 Means beneath / under the tongue
 It is a type of oral preparation
 Drugs given in this way are absorbed very quickly
through the mucous membrane of the mouth
 A useful route for drugs that need to act fast e.g.
Glyceryl trinitrate for Angina
 Gives a systemic effect
 Abbreviated to ‘SL’ or S/L

22. 9. Topical
 Administration of a drug to a definite area, usually
skin. Its applied ‘on top’
 Products that can be applied topically:
 Creams
 Ointments
 Liniments
 Lotions
 Gels
 Some other route are described as topical, for e.g.
ophthalmic, nasal
 Gives a Local effect
 Abbreviated to ‘Top’

23. 10.Transdermal
Means through / across the dermis of
the skin
Applied to the surface of the skin and
are absorbed across the skin into the
blood stream. E.g. patches that release
a drug over a period of time (12 or
24hrs)
Gives a systemic effect

24. 11.Vaginal
Drugs that are administered into the
vagina
Products used include Pessaries and
Creams
Gives a Local effect
DO NOT CONFUSE PESSARIES AND
SUPPOSITORIES…the two can look very
similar but are for very different routes!