Oral (PO) Route of Administration

(barriers, absorption, advantages & disadvantages)

·      Barriers: GI tract lining, capillary wall

·      Absorption: slow and variable

·      Advantages: Less painful, lasts longer (don’t need to take as often), easier for patient to do by self, much cheaper

·      Disadvantage: stomach absorption is slow

Intravenous Route of Administration

(barriers, absorption, advantages & disadvantages)

·      Barriers: none

·      Absorption: rapid

·      Advantage: quickly absorbed

·      Disadvantage: cannot take it back, not reversible; can be irritating to blood vessel, can be painful

Intramuscular Route of Administration

(barriers, absorption, advantages & disadvantages)

·      Barriers: capillary wall

·      Absorption: rapid for water-soluble

·      Advantages: Immunizations

·      Disadvantages: sporadic absorption, patient lying: muscle doesn’t move the drug to body

Subcutaneous Route of Administration

(barriers, absorption, advantages & disadvantages)

·      Barriers: capillary wall

·      Absorption: rapid for water-soluble

·      Advantages: unknown

·      Disadvantages: Obese people can’t get good absorption: difficult to get medication out of fat layer due to low amounts of capillaries in fat; painful