Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

What type of drug delivery is referred to as "parenteral"?

1. Oral administration

2. Direct to the body without the GI system

3. Vaporization

4. Topical application

The correct answer is: Direct to the body without the GI system

Parenteral drug delivery refers to methods of administering medications directly into the body, bypassing the gastrointestinal (GI) system. This term is commonly used to describe routes such as intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous injections. The key aspect of parenteral administration is that it allows for rapid absorption and onset of action since the medication enters the bloodstream directly, making it an important choice in clinical settings where quick therapeutic effects are necessary. In contrast, oral administration requires the drug to go through the digestive system before entering the bloodstream, while vaporization and topical applications involve different mechanisms that do not fit the parenteral definition. Thus, focusing on the direct access to systemic circulation without involving the GI tract is what characterizes parenteral drug delivery.