This process primarily involves the provision of drugs in solid dose forms like tablets and capsules with high degree of drug stability. The main advantage of oral administration of medication is that doses are normally required to be taken once or twice every day. However, this method is associated with the disadvantage of problematic and unpredictable nature of gastro-intenstinal absorption of drugs. Sublingual administration is a method involving the use of sublingual mucosa that provides a rich supply of blood vessels for drug absorption. An example of sublingual administration is the treatment of acute angina through glyceryl trinitrate. While this route offers rapid absorption into the systemic circulation, it's suitable in specific markets where taking tablets may be problematic.
Parenteral administration is a process where the drug is administered through a needle or syringe that passes the skin and mucous membranes. In addition to being considered as non-oral means of drug administration, the common processes of parenteral administration are IV, intramuscular, and subcutaneous. The main advantage of this route is that problems associated with patient compliance are...
In contrast, topical administration is where drugs are applied to the surface of the skin after the skin is cleaned and examined for breaks ("Administration of Medication," n.d.). During the process of topical medication, clinicians should avoid touching the substances because certain drugs may affect him/her. The advantages of topical administration include the reduced risk of systemic side-effects and effective management of localized disease. However, topical administration is likely to cause local skins reactions if not prepared properly. Generally, administering medication requires identifying the right patient, right drug, right route of administration, and right dose.
