What is Sublingual Administration

Sublingual Medicine Administration

Sublingual Administration is a way of giving medication through the mouth. It involves placing the drug beneath the tongue, to be absorbed and dissolved into the bloodstream through the mucous membranes. These drugs are in the form of tablets that dissolve, sprays, or films.

The area underneath the tongue has tiny blood capillaries. Therefore, drugs are absorbed directly and very fast into the system without passing through the digestive system.

When to administer Sublingual Medication

These drugs may be prescribed by your doctor under the circumstances below:

• You experience trouble in swallowing or digesting drugs
• The drugs need to be absorbed quickly into the system
• The medication is not absorbed as required in the stomach
• Digestion would decrease the effects of the drugs

Advantages

• Medicine is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. It is important when the doctor needs the drug to work immediately, such as during an emergency or during a heart attack.
• These drugs are easy to take for patients who experience trouble in digesting or swallowing medication.
• These drugs are not metabolized in the liver since they are not passing in the digesting system. Therefore, you may take a lower dosage and still get equivalent results.

Disadvantages

• Smoking, drinking or eating while using sublingual medication can affect the drug absorption and how efficient the results would be.
• Drugs that need to be absorbed slowly into the system could not work well in this form of administration.
• Medicine can irritate the mouth if you have open sores.

The procedure of Administering Sublingual Medication

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap for at least 20 seconds. Rinse all the soap with warm water then use a disposable towel to dry your hand. It should be before and after drug administration, to prevent the spread of germs as well as infectious diseases.
2. Put on clean, disposable, nitrile, or latex gloves to prevent the transfer of germs and bacteria. Be sure that the patient is not allergic to latex.
3. Be sure that the prescribed medications are to be taken sublingually.
4. Double-check that the correct dosage is well prepared and given at proper intervals.
5. Cut the pill if necessary using a pill cutter. It is more precise than using a knife or bare hands. Clean the pill cutter before and after using. To prevent contaminating the pill as well as other medicines.

Administration of Sublingual Medication

1. The person taking medicine should sit in an upright position. Administering the medication when the person is lying down or unconscious could lead to accidental aspiration.
2. Do not eat or drink while taking this medication.
3. Do not smoke any cigarette for at least one hour before taking the sublingual medication.
4. Place medicine under the tongue and tilt forward to avoid swallowing.
5. Hold the consistently under the tongue, for the prescribed amount of time.
6. Do not force the sublingual medicine down your throat at any instance.
7. Wait before taking any drink or rinsing your mouth after the medication has completely dissolved.