What does enteral administration of the GI tract include?

Enteral administration refers to the delivery of medications directly into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which encompasses routes that involve the ingestion or placement of substances within the digestive system. The oral route involves swallowing medications, the sublingual method places drugs under the tongue for absorption into the bloodstream, and the rectal route allows for medication administration through the rectum, enabling absorption in the lower GI tract.

These methods directly utilize the gastrointestinal system for drug delivery, making them characteristic of enteral administration. Other routes, such as intramuscular, intravenous, and subcutaneous, bypass the GI tract entirely and deliver medications directly into the bloodstream or tissues. Therefore, the inclusion of oral, sublingual, and rectal routes in the correct response highlights the fundamental concept of enteral administration as it relates to the GI tract specifically.