Certified Medical Assistant Practice Exam

If a drug is given sublingually, where is it placed?

1. Intravenously

2. Intramuscularly

3. Into the digestive system

4. Under the tongue

The correct answer is: Under the tongue

When a drug is administered sublingually, it is placed under the tongue. This method allows for rapid absorption into the bloodstream through the mucous membranes in that area. Sublingual administration is often used for medications that require quick onset of action because this route bypasses the digestive system and the first-pass metabolism in the liver, allowing the drug to enter systemic circulation more rapidly. The other methods of administration mentioned involve different techniques and areas of the body. For example, intravenous administration involves injecting the drug directly into the bloodstream, while intramuscular administration involves injecting it into a muscle. Both routes have their own indications and absorption profiles that differ significantly from sublingual administration. Placing a drug into the digestive system, such as via oral ingestion, would require the drug to be processed through the digestive tract before entering circulation, which is not the case with sublingual administration.