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The route of administration refers to how drugs are introduced into the body, with three categories: topical, enteral, and parenteral. Forensic experts also use this concept to identify how poisons or illegal drugs were administered in crimes. Choosing the best route depends on the patient’s needs.
In medical circles, a route of administration is the means by which a drug is introduced into the body. The term applies to any type of prescription drug, over-the-counter drug, or illegal substance that comes into contact with the body. Many health professionals also report involving introducing poisons into the body in some way using one or more routes of administration.
For the most part, a particular route of administration is classified into one of three different categories. With a topical route, the drug is introduced directly to the skin surface. Using this approach, the drug is absorbed through the skin and into the body, where it has a chance to promote healing. The use of various types of topical creams and ointments would fall under this particular classification.
A second approach is known as the enteral route of administration. Enteral refers to anything to do with movement through the intestines. Therefore, this category includes any strategy that involves introducing the drug in a way that uses the digestive tract. Examples of this approach include the use of liquid medications, tablets, capsules, or powders that are ingested orally. The use of a feeding tube to feed nutrients directly into the gastrointestinal tract would also be considered enteral in nature. This particular class is easily the most common of all routes.
The third class is known as the parenteral route of administration. This approach involves the introduction of drugs by means that do not involve the use of the digestive tract. Injections of all kinds are part of this classification, as are intravenous drip therapy and even inhalation. These methods are usually employed when there is a need to get the drug into the body as quickly as possible.
While healthcare professionals primarily use the concept of route of administration, forensic experts and other law enforcement professionals also routinely use the term when poisons or illegal drugs are used in the commission of a crime. Identifying the route used to administer the substance to the victim can often help shed light on how the accident occurred and possibly lead to clues that allow officers to locate and arrest the perpetrator. For example, knowing that a poison was administered orally can lead law officers to test beakers and other drinking vessels at the crime scene until they find one with traces of the poison still present, and test that vessel for fingerprints or some kind of DNA Evidence that could identify others who were present during the commission of the crime.
Choosing the best route of administration implies a correct assessment of the patient’s needs. For example, an individual with severe head congestion may be given an injection to speed up the process of killing bacteria and relieve any inflammation. At the same time, someone with an ongoing ailment that requires a constant supply of medication to the system may be given pills or tablets that slowly release the medication into the system throughout the day.
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