Routes of Administration

Question 1

inhalational

Answer 1

inhaled (gas, fine powder, vapour, smoke)

Question 2

intra-arterial

Answer 2

injected into an artery - very rare in human medicine (liquid)

Question 3

intracerebroventricular

Answer 3

injected into the cerebral ventricles (liquid)

Question 4

intradermal

Answer 4

injected under the skin layer (liquid or suspension)

Question 5

intramuscular

Answer 5

injected into the muscle mass(liquid or suspension)

Question 6

intrathecal

Answer 6

injected into the membranes that enclose the spinal cord.

Question 7

intravaginal

Answer 7

pessary containing drug

Question 8

intravenous

Answer 8

‘bolus’ or ‘infusion’ injected into a vein (liquid)

Question 9

nasal

Answer 9

applied to nasal membranes (drops, fine powder, spray)

Question 10

oral

Answer 10

swallowed (tablet, capsule, liquid)

Question 11

rectal:

Answer 11

suppository containing drug

Question 12

subcutaneous

Answer 12

injected just beneath skin (liquid or suspension)

Question 13

sublingual

Answer 13

held beneath the tongue (usually tablets or capsules)

Question 14

topical

Answer 14

applied directly to affected area (creams, patches; eye-drops)

Question 15

transdermal

Answer 15

by diffusion through the skin from an adherent patch