Learning Outcomes for the Study Units:

1. Routes of Drug Delivery

Upon completion, learners will be able to:

• Identify and describe the various routes of drug administration (oral, injection, inhalation, topical, transmucosal).
• Explain the factors influencing drug absorption for each route (e.g., GI anatomy for oral medications, lung capacity for inhalation).
• Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of different administration routes (e.g., speed of onset for injections vs. convenience of oral medications).
• Select the most appropriate route of administration for a given medication based on its properties and therapeutic goals (e.g., rapid pain relief might favor injection over the oral route).
• Apply safe and effective techniques for administering medications through various routes (following proper injection procedures, and using appropriate inhalation devices).

2. Physiology for Route Selection

After completing this unit, learners will be able to:

• Describe the anatomy and physiology of the body systems relevant to different routes of drug delivery (GI tract, respiratory system, circulatory system, skin, mucous membranes).
• Explain how physiological factors can influence the absorption, distribution, and action of medications (e.g., blood flow impacting intravenous medications, skin integrity affecting topical absorption).
• Analyze the relationship between route selection and the desired therapeutic effect (e.g., local anesthetics often administered topically for localized pain relief).
• Identify potential complications associated with different routes of administration (e.g., aspiration risk with some oral medications, tissue irritation with certain topical preparations).
• Justify the selection of a specific route based on the patient’s physiological condition (e.g., the unconscious patient might necessitate alternative routes to oral administration).

3. Dosage Forms and Selection

By the end of this unit, learners should be able to:

• Classify different medication dosage forms (tablets, capsules, solutions, suspensions, injections, topical preparations).
• Explain the properties and characteristics of various dosage forms and how they impact drug delivery (e.g., controlled-release tablets for sustained medication release).
• Analyze the factors to consider when selecting an appropriate dosage form for a specific route and medication (e.g., patient swallowing difficulties might favor liquid medications).
• Identify potential medication errors associated with different dosage forms (e.g., crushing tablets for whole swallowing).
• Recommend appropriate administration techniques for various dosage forms based on the chosen route (e.g., using measuring spoons for accurate oral medication administration).

4. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (PK/PD)

Upon successful completion of this unit, learners will be able to:

• Describe the basic principles of ADME processes (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) and their impact on medication action (e.g., explain how poor absorption from the GI tract can reduce medication effectiveness).
• Explain how the administration route can influence a medication’s pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (e.g., the intravenous route typically leads to a faster onset of action compared to the oral route).
• Analyze the relationship between PK/PD and medication dosing regimens (e.g., understanding how absorption rate influences dosing frequency).
• Identify potential drug interactions arising from route selection and PK/PD considerations (e.g., some medications might interfere with the absorption of others when administered through the same route).
• Apply basic principles of PK/PD to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medication administration via different routes (e.g., considering the impact of route selection on potential side effects).