Medication Information
Routes of medication administration
Medications can be administered in various ways. The route of administration may depend on several factors, such as the:
- Type of medication
- Condition being treated
- Desired outcome
- Your preferences
- Your physical abilities
We have listed many of the different routes of medication administration Refers to how a medication is taken. Some examples include oral, injection, inhalation, topical below, but if you are interested in learning the specific ways your medications can be administered, we suggest that you talk to your healthcare provider.
Route of Administration | Site | Example | |
---|---|---|---|
Oral (most common) | Mouth | Pills, tablets, liquids, capsules | |
Injections | Intramuscular | Injected into muscle tissue with a needle | Vaccinations |
Subcutaneous | Injected beneath the skin into fatty tissue | Insulin | |
Intravenous | Injected directly through a vein and into the bloodstream | Normal Saline (fluid replacement) | |
Topical | Creams and ointments | Local surfaces on the skin | Ointment for pain relief |
Patches | Applied to skin so that medication is slowly absorbed into the body over an extended period of time | Nicotine patches | |
Eyedrops or Eye Ointments | Administered directly into the affected eye(s) | Antibiotic eye drops | |
Inhalation | Metered-dose Inhalers or Dry Powder Inhalers | Administered through the mouth or nose | Asthma inhaler or nasal spray |
Rectal and Vaginal | Solid dosage form inserted into rectum or vagina | Glycerin suppository | |
Sublingual or Buccal | Sublingual: placed under the tongue Buccal: placed between cheek and gum | Seizure medication (e.g. lorazepam) |
References
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. (2017, April 11). Route of Administration. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/data-standards-manual-monographs/route-administration
Kim, J., & De Jesus, O. (2023, August 23). Medication Routes of Administration. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568677/