Which option correctly defines Subcutaneous as a route of administration?

• A. Intramuscular
• B. Subcutaneous
• C. Intravenous
• D. Subdermal

Answer: (B)

Subcutaneous administration means delivering medication into the fatty tissue just under the skin. This route absorption is slower and steadier because the drug must diffuse into nearby capillaries in adipose tissue, rather than going straight into muscle or a vein. It’s commonly used for drugs like insulin and heparin when gradual uptake is desired. Intramuscular injections go into muscle tissue and are absorbed more quickly, while intravenous injections enter directly into a vein for rapid effect. Subdermal would place the medication beneath the dermis, a different skin layer, and is not the typical subcutaneous pathway.