What does the enteral route of medication administration involve?

The enteral route of medication administration primarily involves delivering medications through the gastrointestinal tract. This method includes taking medications orally or via feeding tubes directly into the stomach or intestines. The key characteristic of the enteral route is that it relies on the digestive system to absorb and process the medication, allowing it to enter the bloodstream through the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

This route is particularly useful for medications that can be effectively absorbed through the digestive system, as well as for patients who are conscious and capable of swallowing. Using the enteral route can also be advantageous for delivering larger doses or medications that require a longer duration of action, as it allows for a more sustained release into the bloodstream compared to other administration routes.

While there are alternative routes like intravenous injection, topical application, or inhalation, these methods do not involve the gastrointestinal tract and therefore fall under different categories of medication administration.