Which description best defines a parenteral medication?

Which description best defines a parenteral medication?

• A. Administered by mouth
• B. Administered via digestive tract
• C. Administered by injection
• D. Administered through mucous membranes

Answer: (C)

Parenteral medications are those delivered by injection, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. The defining feature is administration that does not go through the GI tract or mucous membranes, delivering the drug directly into body tissues or the bloodstream. This is why administering by injection is the best description. Drugs given by mouth or via the digestive tract must pass through the GI system, which is not parenteral. Routes through mucous membranes involve absorption across mucosal surfaces rather than being injected into the body, so they are not parenteral either. Injections encompass intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intravenous routes, and they require sterile technique and proper site care.

Parenteral medications are those delivered by injection, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. The defining feature is administration that does not go through the GI tract or mucous membranes, delivering the drug directly into body tissues or the bloodstream. This is why administering by injection is the best description. Drugs given by mouth or via the digestive tract must pass through the GI system, which is not parenteral. Routes through mucous membranes involve absorption across mucosal surfaces rather than being injected into the body, so they are not parenteral either. Injections encompass intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intravenous routes, and they require sterile technique and proper site care.