Chapter 7 route and formulations

The Pharmacy
Technician 4E
Chapter 7
Routes & Formulations

Chapter Outline
• Enteral Formulations • Intravenous
• Oral Formulations • Intramuscular
• Sublingual • Ophthalmic
• Buccal  Intranasal
• Rectal  Inhalation
• Parenteral Formulations  Dermal
 Viginal

Factors Influencing the Route of
Administration
Drugs are contained in dosing units called formulations or dosage forms.
A route of administration is a way of getting a drug onto or into the body.
It’s classified into two categories:
 ENTERAL: refers to anything involving the stomach from the
mouth to the rectum. There are four enteral routs of
administration:
1. Oral
2. Sublingual
3. Buccal
4. Rectal
 PARENTERAL: Routes other than enteral
 Drugs come in many different forms and many factors determine the

choice of route of administration.

Factor Affecting Selection of Route of
Administration
 Drug Characteristics
 Ease of administration
 Site of action
 Onset of action
 Duration of action
 Quantity of drug administered
 Liver or kidney diseases

Drug Characteristics

 Stomach is very acidic (pH 1-2).
 The pH scale measures the acidity of the alkalinity of
a substance.
 pH 7 is neutral (water).

 Certain drugs are degraded (chemically changed to a
less effective form) or destroyed by stomach acid.
 The absorption of many drugs is affected by the
presence of food in the stomach.

Ease of Administration
 Prescribers assess characteristics to determine route of
administration.
 Some patients are unable swallow.

 Very young or older adult patients might have

difficulty swallowing.
 Avoid solid, oral dose forms in favor of liquid

dose forms or non-oral routes of administration.
 Oral route of administration is inadvisable for a

patient experiencing nausea and vomiting.

Site of Action
 Choice of route of administration is influenced by
desired site of action.
 A Local Effect: occurs when the drug activity is at
the site of administration (e.g. eyes, ears, nose,
skin).
 A Systemic Effect: occurs when the drug is
introduced into the circulatory system by any route
of administration and carried by the blood to the
site of action.

Onset of Action
Onset rate varies with route of administration:
 Oral medications for systemic use must proceed
through a series of steps before they exert their
therapeutic effect (desired pharmaceutical action on
the body).
 Liquid solutions or suspensions work faster than oral
tablets or capsules.
 Medication is more readily available for
absorption.

Onset of Action
 Tablets placed under tongue or between cheek and gums work
quickly.
 Medication bypasses stomach and liver, goes directly into

bloodstream.
 Drugs injected/infused directly into bloodstream are carried
immediately throughout the body.
 Topical medications work quickly.
 Localized therapeutic effects, especially those

 applied to the skin

 inhaled into the lungs

 instilled into the eye.

Duration of Action
 The duration of action
 The length of time a drug gives the desired response or is at
the therapeutic level (duration of time the drug continues to
work).
 Controlled- /extended-release tablet
 May last for 12 to 24 hours compared with 4 to 6 hours for
same drug in immediate-release formulation.
 Transdermal patches
 Delivers small amounts of a drug steadily over many hours or
even days.
 Sustained-duration effect can be achieved by means of
intravenous (IV) infusion.
 Injections into the muscle and skin last longer than injections
directly into the bloodstream.

Quantity of Drug
 Sometimes route of administration is chosen because of the
amount of a drug.
 A tablet containing a lot of filler (diluent) might be

preferred for a drug containing a very small amount of
active ingredient.
 IV infusion is an excellent method for systemic delivery of
large quantities of material.
 Rapidly diluted in the bloodstream.

 IV injections and infusions can deliver a higher dose of
medication to the target site.
 Important in serious illnesses.

Metabolism by the Liver or
Excretion by the Kidney
 Liver metabolism breaks down active drug to inactive
metabolites for elimination and to prevent drug
accumulation.
 The first-pass effect is the extent to which a drug is
metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic
circulation.
 Influences activity of several drugs.
 Such drugs have to be given in large oral doses or by
another route of administration to bypass or overcome
metabolism by the liver.

Metabolism by the Liver or
Excretion by the Kidney
 Age-related (old age) or disease-related changes in liver or
kidney disease can cause:
 Drug accumulation

 and thus toxicity.

 Older patients are often prescribed lower doses of
medication.
 If patients are on multiple potent prescription drugs, there
is a risk of a drug-drug interaction.
 Drug accumulation
 Toxic blood levels increases

Oral Dosage Forms

 Disintegration
 The breaking apart of a tablet into smaller pieces.

 Dissolution
 When the smaller pieces of a disintegrated tablet

dissolve in solution.

Active vs. Inactive Ingredients

 Inactive Ingredient
 Include binders, lubricants, fillers, diluents, and

disintegrates.
 Added to help manufacture the formulation and

to help the dosage form disintegrate and dissolve
when administered.
 If a drug X is 50 mg tablet, then the actual weight is
going to be more than 50 mg because of the inactive
ingredients.

Oral Routes of Administration
 The most frequently used route of administration.
 Oral refers to two methods of administration:
 Applying topically to the mouth.

 Swallowing for absorption along the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract into systemic
circulation.
 po (from the Latin per os) is the abbreviation used
to indicate oral route of medication administration.

Oral Dose Forms
Common dose forms for enteral administration are
solid formulations.
 Tablets

 Capsules

 Bulk powders

 Rectal formulations

Other Tablet Types

 Bulk powders (e.g., Goody's BC powders)
contain the active drug in a small powder paper or
foil envelope. The patient empties the envelope
into a glass of water or juice and drinks the
contents.
 Chewable tablets have a flavored and/or
colored base designed to be masticated (chewed)
 Effervescent tablets are granular salts that
release gas dispense active ingredients into
solution when placed in water or juice

Capsules

 A capsule is a solid dose form consisting of a
gelatin shell that encloses the drug
 usually swallowed whole

 tasteless and are easier to swallow than

tablets
 Contains powders, granules, liquids, or some
combination with one or more active
ingredients
 Since a capsule is enclosed, flavorings are not
common for this dose form

Buccal Administration

 Buccal tablets (and gum) are placed in the
buccal pouch
 Between the cheek and the gum.

 Dissolved and absorbed by the buccal

mucosa.

Oral Dose Forms
Modified Release Formulation
A delayed-release dose form does not release the active drug
immediately after administration.
 An extended-release dose form allows reduced frequency of
dosing.
 Delayed-release medication is NOT the same as extended- or
controlled-release medication of the same drug.
 Controlled-release dose forms should NOT be split.
 Soft or Soft-gel are capsules that contain liquid instead of
powders inside the gelatin shell.

Oral Dose Forms: Other
formulations

 Also called long-acting, timed-release, and
sustained-release dose forms.
 Sustained Release (SR)
 Extended Release (XR, ER)
 Continuous Release (CR)
 Long acting (LA)

Liquid Formulations
 Solutions: is a clear liquid (not necessarily colorless).
 A solvent is a liquid that can dissolve another
substance to form a solution.
 Aqueous solution = water is the solvent.
 Suspensions: are formulations in which the drug does
not completely dissolve in the liquid.
 They should be shaken well before administration.
 Syrups: concentrated (saturated) solutions of sucrose
(sugar) in water – are more thicker (viscous) than
water.

Liquid Formulations Nonaqueous
Solutions
 Solutions that contain solvent other than water
(mostly alcohol).
 Elixirs are sweetened liquids that contain alcohol (5-
40%).
 They are less sweet and less effective in masking
taste than syrup.
 Spirits are alcoholic solutions that contain volatile
oils (alcohol 62-85%).
 Tincture are alcoholic solutions (like Spirits) but of
nonvolatile substances.

Liquid Formulations - Emulsions
 Liquid Formulations (Emulsions) are solutions of oil and
water based substances.
 Emulsifier is a substance that disperses the oil in to
water (o/w emulsion) or water into oil (w/o emulsion).
 Creaming occurs when dispersed droplets merge
together; can be dispersed by shaking.
 Coalescence is irreversible separation of the dispersed
phase.

Liquid Formulations - Gels
 Made using a substance called gelling agents. e.g.
 Carbopols® 934P, methylcellulose, hydroxy-propyl-
methyl-cellusose, and sodium carboxy-methyl-
cellulose are recommended for oral administration.
 Usually take 12-24 hours to reach maximum viscosity.
 Add the active drug before the gel is formed.

Other Delivery Systems
 Unit dose disposable syringes are prefilled syringes
that contain a single premeasured dose of medication
and are thrown away after use.

 An oral syringe is a device without a needle to
administer medication to pediatric or elderly patients
unable to swallow tablets or capsules.

Effervescent Salts and Lozenges
 Effervescent salts are granules or coarse powders
containing one or more medicinal agents.
 Contains some combination of sodium bicarbonate

with citric acid, tartaric acid, or sodium
biphosphate.
 Release carbon dioxide gas when dissolved.

 Lozenges are dose forms containing active ingredients
and flavorings that are dissolved in the mouth.
 Also known as troches or pastilles.

 Generally have local effects.

Other Delivery Systems
 A dropper uses a bulb to create a vacuum for drawing up a
liquid.
 Contains a small, squeezable bulb at one end and a hollow

glass or plastic tube with a tapering point.
 May be incorporated into the cap of a vial or other

container .
 gtt is an abbreviation for unit of pharmaceutical measurement
for droppers and IV infusions indicating drops.
 Due to the differing viscosities of fluids, the size of a drop

varies considerably from medication to medication.
 Droppers are often used for otic or ophthalmic administration,
as well as for oral medications.

Sublingual Administration
 Designed to be dissolved under the tongue.
 Medication dissolved under the tongue is absorbed very

quickly.
 Nitroglycerine is the best known example of sublingual
formulation (for chest pain).
 Advise patients to take a sip of water first and not to eat
food or beverages until the drug is fully absorbed.

Oral Dose Forms
 Capsules are preferred over tablets for
patients with difficulty swallowing.
 Water preferred over beverages to aid in
swallowing
 Some dose forms are designed to be sprinkled
on food when swallowing a solid is difficult.
 Liquid doses are swallowed more easily and
are suitable for
 Patients with swallowing difficulties.

 Small children.

Advantages of the Oral Route

 Ease and safety of administration.

 Active ingredient is generally contained in
powders or granules which dissolve in GI tract.

 Sublingual (and buccal) administration has a rapid
onset (less than 5 minutes).

Disadvantages of the Oral Route
 Delayed onset
 Dose form must disintegrate before absorption.

 Destruction or dilution of drug by
 GI fluids and acid.

 Food or drink in stomach or intestines.

 Not indicated in patients who
 Have nausea or vomiting.

 Are comatose, sedated, or otherwise unable to swallow
 Unpleasant taste of some liquid dose forms
 Must be masked by flavorings to promote compliance.

Disadvantages of the Oral Route
 Sublingual (and buccal) administration has a
short duration of action.
 Less than 30 to 60 minutes.

 Not appropriate for routine delivery of
medication.
 Buccal route may have
 Medicinal taste.
 Local mouth irritation.

Dispensing Oral Medications
 Patients need instruction on proper storage of
nitroglycerin.
 Sublingual nitroglycerin tablets should be stored in
their original container (brown glass bottle).
 Lid screwed on tightly to prevent sunlight and air

from causing potency loss.
 Pillboxes are not recommended.
 Refill nitroglycerin with a fresh bottle every 6
months.

Rectal Medications-
Suppository
 Remove suppository from its package.
 Insert small tapered end first with index finger for the
full length of the finger.
 May need to be lubricated with a water-soluble gel to
ease insertion.
 Refrigeration may make insertion of rectal
medications easier in warm climates.

Rectal Dosage Forms
• Enemas create an urge to defecate due to the
placement of fluid into the rectum.
 A cleansing enema uses water or a cleansing solution.
 A retention enema uses an oil that is held in the
rectum to soften the stool.
 Frequent use of enemas is discouraged as it can have
significant adverse effects.

Rectal Formulations
Rectal administration is a preferred method when:
 An oral drug might be destroyed or diluted by acidic

fluids in the stomach.
 An oral drug might be too readily metabolized by
the liver and eliminated from the body.
 The patient is unconscious and needs medication.
 Nausea and vomiting or severe acute illness in the GI
tract make patient unable to take oral drugs.

Parenteral Routes of Administration
 Parenteral administration is an injection or infusion by
means of a needle or catheter inserted into the body.
 Parenteral forms deserve special attention.
 Complexity, widespread use, and potential for

therapeutic benefit and danger.
 The term parenteral comes from Greek words.
 para, meaning outside

 enteron, meaning the intestine.
 This route of administration bypasses the alimentary
canal.

Parenteral Routes of Administration

Injection Independent Injection Dependent
 ophthalmic  intravenous
 intranasal  intramuscular
 inhalation  intradermal
 dermal  subcutaneous
 vaginal  epidural
 otic  intrathecal

Parenteral Dose Forms

 Parenteral preparations must be
 Sterile

 Free of microorganisms.

 To ensure sterility, parenterals are prepared using
 Aseptic techniques

 Special clothing (gowns, masks, hair net, gloves)
 Laminar flow hoods placed in special rooms.

 IV route
 Directly into a vein

 Prepared in hospitals and home healthcare
pharmacies.
 Antibiotics

 Chemotherapy
 Nutrition
 Critical care medications


 INTRA means INTO
 Intravenous into the vein

 Intradermal into the dermis (skin)

 Intramuscular (IM) injections
 Into a muscle

 Subcutaneous injections
 Under the skin

 Intradermal (ID) injections
 Into the skin

Syringe Size Recommendations

Route of Administration Needle Gauge Needle Length
 Intravenous (IV) 16–20 1–1.5˝
 Intramuscular (IM) 19–22 1–1.5˝
 Subcutaneous (SC) 24–27 3/8–1˝
 Intradermal (ID) 25–26 3/8˝

Advantages and Disadvantages of
the Parenteral Route
 The IV route is the fastest method for delivering
systemic drugs.
 Preferred administration in an emergency

situation.
 It can provide fluids, electrolytes, and nutrition.
 Patients who cannot take food or have serious

problems with the GI tract.
 It provides higher concentration of drug to
bloodstream or tissues.
 Advantageous in serious bacterial infection.

Parenteral Route
 Disposable syringes and needles are used to
administer drugs by injection .
 Different sizes are available depending on the

type of mediation and injection needed .
 IV infusion provides a continuous amount of needed
medication.
 Without fluctuation in blood levels of other

routes.
 Infusion rate can be adjusted.
 Provides more or less medication as the situation

dictates.

Parenteral Route Characteristics

 Formulation is limited to:
 solutions,

 suspensions, and

 Emulsions.

 Has to be STERILE (bacteria free).
 pH must match body fluid’s using buffer system.
 Limited volume should be used to avoid pain and
necrosis.

Parenteral Route Disadvantages
 Higher Cost.
 Require skilled personnel to administer them.
 Most difficult to remove once administered if there is
an adverse or toxic reaction.
 Requires a needle injection.
 Potential for infection or clot formation.

Intravenous Formulations
 Administered directly into a vein.
 Takes about 20 seconds to circulate throughout the
body.
 Aqueous solutions are the most common
formulations.
 Syringeability – the ease with which a suspension
can be drawn from container into a syringe.
 Injectablity is the ease of flow when a suspension is
injected into a patient.

Intravenous Injections or Infusions
 Intravenous (IV) injections are injected directly
into veins and are administered at a 15- to 20-
degree angles.

Intravenous Formulation
Complications

 Thrombus is a blood clot.
 Phlebitis is an inflammation of the vein.
 Air emboli occurs when air is introduced into the
vein.
 Particulate material can include small pieces of glass
that chip from the product’s vial or rubber pieces.

Intravenous Formulations Devices
 Syringes - come in a variety of sizes.
 Infusion
 Is the gradual intravenous injection of a volume of

fluid into a patient.
 Usually a large volume (500 ml to 1,000 ml).

 E.g. dextrose in water 5% (D5W), 0.45% sodium

chloride in water (½ NS).
 The solution bag has two ports: an administration

set port and a medication port.
 Infusion Pumps
 Ensures consistent and controlled delivery rate.

 Patient controlled analgesia (PCA) are pumps for

self administration or pain medications.

Intramuscular Injections
 Care must be taken with deep IM injections to
avoid hitting a vein, artery, or nerve.
 In adults, IM injections are given into upper,
outer portion of the gluteus maximus.
 Large muscle on either side of the buttocks.

 For children and some adults, IM injections are
given into the deltoid muscles of the shoulders.
 Depot – the area in the muscle where the
formation is injected during an IM injection.

Intramuscular Injections

 Typical needle is 22- to 25-
gauge ½- to 1-inch needle..
 Intramuscular (IM) injections
are administered at a 90-
degree angle
 Volume limited to less

than 3 mL

 For intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous
routes of administration, the injection site
needs to be “prepped.”
 using alcohol wipe.

 Correct syringe, needle, and technique must
be used.
 Rotation of injection sites with long-term use.
 Prevents scarring and other skin changes.

 Can influence drug absorption.

 Intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous routes of
administration are convenient ways to deliver
medications compared with the IV route.
 Onset of response of the medication is slower.

 Duration of action is much longer..
 Practical for use outside the hospital
 Used for drugs which are not active orally.

Subcutaneous Injections

 Administer medications below the skin into the
subcutaneous fat.
 Outside of the upper arm.

 Top of the thigh.

 Lower portion of each side of the abdomen.

 Not into grossly adipose, hardened, inflamed, or
swollen tissue.
 Often have a longer onset of action and a longer
duration of action.
 Compared with IM or IV injection.

Subcutaneous Injections
 Given at a 45-degree
angle.
 25- or 26-gauge
needle, 3/8 to 5/8 inch
length.
 No more then 1.5 mL
should be injected into
the site.
 Avoids pressure on
sensory nerves causing
pain and discomfort.

Subcutaneous Injections Insulin
 Given using 28- to 30-gauge short needles
 in special syringe that measures in UNITS.

 Keep insulin refrigerated.
 Check expiration dates frequently.
 Opened vials should be discarded after one month.

 A vial of insulin is agitated and warmed by rolling between the
hands and should never be shaken.
 The rubber stopper should be wiped with an alcohol wipe.
 DO NOT use SQ or SC abbreviations.
 Write out subcutaneous to minimize potential medication

errors.

Intradermal Injections

 Given into capillary-rich layer just below epidermis
for:
 local anesthesia

 diagnostic tests

 immunizations

Intradermal Injections

 Examples of ID injections include:
 Skin test for tuberculosis (TB)

 Typical site is the upper forearm, below the

area where IV injections are given.
 Allergy skin testing

 Small amounts of various allergens are

administered to detect allergies.
 Usually on the back.

Implants and Plasters
 Implants, or pellets, are dose forms placed under the skin by
means of minor surgery.
 Used for long-term, controlled release of medications.

 Advantages include enhanced patient compliance and

convenience.
 Complications at the site of insertion have limited

widespread use.
 E.g: Viadur® - Duros® - Supperlin LA®

 Plasters are solid or semisolid and medicated or non-
medicated preparations that adhere to the body.
 Contain backing material such as paper, cotton, linen, silk,

moleskin, or plastic.

Parenteral Topical Routes of
Administration

Includes administration of
drugs to any mucous
membrane:
 Topical administration
 Nose
is the application of a
 Ears
drug directly to the
 Vagina
surface of the skin.
 Urethra

 Colon

 Lungs

Ophthalmic Medications
 Are administered for local treatment.
 Must be at room temperature or body temperature before
application.
 Have to be sterile. Only preparations with preservatives can
be repeatedly used.
 A major problem
 The immediate loss of a dose by natural spillage from the
eye.
 About 80% of a dose will be lost from the eye by overflow.

• Unused ophthalmic medications should be discarded 30 days
after the container is opened.
• Manufacturer expirations do not apply once a patient has

opened the medication.

Ophthalmic Ointments Formulation
 Tend to keep the drug in contact with
the eye LONGER than suspension.
 Most ointments are made of mineral oil
and white petroleum and have a melting
point close to body temperature.
 Ointments cause eye blurring and should
be applied at night.

Ophthalmic Administration
 Before application, patient should wash hands.
 Prevents contamination of application site.
 Tube or dropper should not touch the application site.
 Medication may become contaminated.
 Only sterile ophthalmic solutions or suspensions should be
used in the eye.
 Ear drops can NEVER be used in the eye, but eye drops CAN
be used in the ear.

 Patient’s head should be tilted back.
 After administration, the patient should place a finger in the
corner of the eye, next to the nose to close the lacrimal gently.
 Prevents loss of medication through tear duct.

 A major problem of ophthalmic administration is the

immediate loss of the dose by natural spillage from the eye.
 The main causes
 Rapid washing of tears.
 Rapid turnover (the entire tear volume in the eye turns over every
2-3 minutes).
 Patient should also keep the eyes closed for 1or 2 minutes
after application .

 Ophthalmic ointment tubes are typically small,
holding approximately 3.5 g tube .
 When multiple drops of more than one
medication are to be administered, the patient
should wait 5 minutes between different
medications.
 The first drop may be washed away.

 If an ointment and a drop are used together, the
drop is used first.
 Wait 10 minutes before applying the
ointment.

Contact Lenses & Ocular Inserts
 Contact lenses
 Used to deliver ophthalmic dosages.

 Hydrogel contact lenses that are placed in a solution

containing a drug are sued.
 The lenses release the drugs when placed in the eye.

 Ocular Inserts
 Lenses placed in a solution containing a drug such as

antibiotic and the lenses absorb the drug solution.
 Ocusert® is an ocular insert designed to deliver

pilocarpine at a controlled rate for up to 7 days.

Intranasal Formulations

 Nasal cavity holds about 20 ml and has a
very rich blood supply.
 May reach drug concentration similar when
a drug is administered as IV.
 Nasal inhaler is a cylindrical tube with a cup
that contains fibrous material impregnated
with a volatile drug.

Intranasal Formulations
 Applied by:
 drops (instillation)

 sprays

 aerosol (spray under pressure)

 Used for:
 relief of nasal congestion or allergy symptoms

 administration of flu vaccine

Intranasal Formulation
 Patient should:
 Tilt head back.

 Insert dropper or spray or aerosol tip into the

nostril pointed toward the eyes.
 Apply prescribed number of drops or sprays in

each nostril.
 Breathing should be through mouth to avoid sniffing
medication into the sinuses.
 Important not to overuse nasal decongestants.
 Follow label instructions carefully.

Inhaled Medications
 Intended to deliver drugs to the lungs.
 Lungs are designed for exchange of gases from tissues into

bloodstream.
 Usual dose form is an aerosol.

 “Environmental friendly” propellants now required to
replace chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) .
 Avoids the problems of:
 Degradation found with oral administration.

 Minimizes potential toxicity associated with system

administration.
 Common examples are medication for respiratory illness
including asthma, COPD, etc.

Inhaled Medications
 Metered-dose inhalers (MDI)
 Provide medication with compressed gas.

 Deliver specific measured dose with each activation.

 If a MDI contains a steroid, the patient should RINSE the
mouth thoroughly after dose to prevent oral fungal infection.
 Nebulizers
 Create a mist when a stream of air flows over a liquid.

 Commonly utilized for young children or elderly patients with
asthma or lung disease.
 A diskus
 A newer dosage form to administer drug to lungs as
micronized powder.

Inhaled Medications
 Most inhalation dosage forms are MDI
aerosols that depend on the power of
compressed or liquefied gas to expel
the drug from a container.
 Particle size of the aerosolized
medication is a critical factor with MDIs.
 Spacer and adapters
 MDI requires coordination between
breathing in and activation of the
aerosol.
 There are extension devices to assist
the patient who can’t coordinate
these two processes.

Inhaled Medications Proper Administration
of Aerosolized Medications

1. Shake canister well.
2. “Prime” by pressing down and activating a practice dose.
3. Insert canister into a mouthpiece or spacer to reduce the
amount of drug deposited on the back of the throat.
4. Breathe out and hold spacer between lips making a seal.
5. Activate MDI and take a deep slow inhalation.
6. Hold breath briefly, and slowly exhale through the nose.

Transdermal
Administration
 Delivers drug to bloodstream via absorption through the skin
via a patch or disk.
 Therapeutic effects can last for 24 hours up to 1 week.
 Chemicals in the patch or disc force drug
 across membranes of the skin.

 into layer where absorption into bloodstream occurs.

 Transdermal patches should be carefully discarded after use
because they could cause serious side effects if ingested by
young children or pets.

Basic Rule of Percutaneous
Absorption
 More drug is absorbed when the formulation is applied
to a larger surface area.
 Formulations or dressings that increase the hydration
of the skin generally improve absorption.
 The greater the amount of rubbing in (inunction) of the
formulation, the greater the absorption.
 The longer the formulation remains in contact with the
skin, the greater will be the absorption.

Topical Dose Forms
Dose forms for topical administration include:
 Skin:

 creams
 ointments

 lotions

 gels

 transdermal patches

 disks

Ointments, Creams, Lotions, and Gels
 Dose forms should be applied as directed
 to the skin.

 lotions, creams, and gels are worked into the
skin.
 ointments are skin protectants and do not
work into the skin but stay on the surface.
 When using nitroglycerin ointment the patient
or caregiver should wear gloves.
 Avoids absorbing excessive amounts of
drug, which could cause a headache.

Ointments, Creams, Lotions, and Gels
When using topical corticosteroids:
 Apply sparingly to affected areas for short periods of time.
 Affected area should not be covered up with a bandage unless
directed by the physician.
 Occlusive dressings can significantly increase drug
absorption and risk of side effects.
 Overuse of potent topical corticosteroids can lead to serious
systemic side effects.

Transdermal Patches
 Site of administration must be rotated and relatively
hair free.
 Should not be placed over a large area of scar tissue.
 Some are replaced every day, others maintain their
effect for 3 to 7 days.
 Some patients should remove nitroglycerin patch at
bedtime to prevent development of drug tolerance
where the body requires higher doses of drug to
produce the same therapeutic effect.
 Some testosterone patches are applied to the skin of
the scrotum.

Dermal Formulations Advantages
 Local therapeutic effects.
 Lower risk of side effects.
 Not well absorbed into the deeper layers of the skin or
mucous membrane.
 Offers steady level of drug in the system.

Vaginal Formulations
 The vaginal route of administration is application of drug via
cream or insertion of tablet into the vagina.
 The vaginal route is preferred for:
 cleansing

 contraception
 treatment of infections uterus
 Major disadvantages:
 inconvenience

 “messiness”

vagina

Vaginal Medications
Application should follow a specific technique:
1. Begin with an empty bladder and washed hands.
2. Open the container and place dose in applicator.
3. Lubricate applicator with water-soluble lubricant if not
pre-lubricated.
4. Lie down, spread the legs, open the labia with one
hand, and insert the applicator about two inches into
the vagina with the other hand.
5. Release labia; use free hand to push applicator
plunger.
6. Withdraw the applicator and wash the hands.

Vaginal Formulations
 Vaginal tablets also called inserts, they are inserted
in the same manner as vaginal suppositories.
 Patients should be instructed to dip the tablet into

water before insertion.
 Patients may want to wear a sanitary napkin to

protect nightwear and bed linens.
 Ointments, Creams, and Aerosol Foams
 Contain antibiotics, estrogenic hormonal

substances, or contraceptive agents.
 Creams and foams are placed in a special

applicator tube, and the tube is then inserted high
in the vaginal tract.

Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)

 Devices placed in the uterus.
 Have a lower rate of vaginal expulsion due to their
similarity to the uterine shape.
 They also have higher surface areas of copper and are
effective at a rate of greater than 99%.
 ParaGard® is an IUD that has been shown to be
effective for up to 12 years.
 Mirena® is another category of IUDs that is based on
the release of the hormone progesterone

The Vaginal Ring
 A hormone based IUD, but is used in
one month cycles.
 The ring is inserted in the vagina for 3
weeks, removed for 7 days, and then
reinserted.
 NuvaRing® is an example of such a
device.

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)
 A rare and potentially fatal disease that results from a severe
bacterial infection of the blood.
 In women, it can be caused when bacteria natural to the
vagina move into the bloodstream. Though primarily
associated with the use of super absorbency tampons, it has
also been associated with various vaginal dosage forms.
 TSS symptoms include a high fever, nausea, skin rash,
faintness, and muscle ache. It is treated with antibiotics and
other medicines.

Otic Medications
 Must be at room temperature or body temperature.
 Heated drops may cause rupturing of the eardrum.

 Cold drops can cause vertigo and discomfort.

 Old medication should be removed along with any
drainage before applying fresh medication.
 Alcohol causes pain and burning sensation.
 Should not be used if the patient has a ruptured

tympanic membrane (eardrum).

Otic Medications

 Tilt head to side with ear facing up.
 2 to 5 minutes

 Cotton swabs placed in the ear after administration of drops will
prevent excess medication from dripping out of the ear.
 Swabs will not reduce drug absorption.

 Patients under 3 should have lobes pulled down and back.

 Patients over 3 should have lobes pulled up and back.

Terms to Remember

1. alveolar sacs (alveoli) 7. conjunctiva
2. aqueous 8. contraceptive
3. biocompatibility 9. depot
4. buccal 10. diluent
5. buffer system 11. disintegration
6. colloids 12. dissolution

Terms to Remember

13. Emulsions 19. Lacrimal
14. Hemorrhoid canalicula
15. Hydrates 20. Lacrimal gland
16. Injectability 21. Local effect
17. Inspiration 22. Nasal cavity
18. Intrauterine 23. Nasal inhaler
device 24. Nasal mucosa
(Iud)

Chapter 7 route and formulations

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Chapter 7 route and formulations