THE PARENTERAL ROUTE OF DRUG ADMINISTRATION

DRUG ADMINISTRATION BY PARENTERAL ROUTE

    It is the most effective route of drug administration. Because the drug is direct inject into the blood circulation and also because of its quick onset of action. This is the term used when drug is administered by injection.

Various parenteral route

    There are several type of parenteral route by which drug is to be administered i.e.

• Intravenous route- The drug is directly injected into the systemic blood circulation. This produces very quick onset of action. After intravenous administration of drugs they reaches at the site of action within a few seconds.
• Subcutaneous route- The route is where the drugs are to be injected into the subcutaneous layer of the skin. This is the easiest and least painful type of injection to be administered.
• Intramuscular route- The drugs are injected into muscle layers. This method can be used to produce very fast onset of action when the aqueous drug solution are given. But the drug formulated in suspension or in oily vehicle is administered, the duration of action is very long. By the administration in this form the drug activities is relatively slow.  

The advantages of parenteral route of drug administration:

• It cause immediate the physiologic effect.
• Some drugs are ineffective when they are administered by orally or topically. In such case they can be administered by the parenteral route.E.g. insulin, several hormones etc.
• In case of u-cooperative, unconscious, nauseous patients it is more effective route.
• It can produce the local effects such as in dentistry and anaesthesiology.
• The route is important when the imbalance between the body fluid and the electrolytes is occurred. 
• Some nutrients is necessary to be administered into the blood when the patient is not able to take food orally.