MedicationsQuestion 24 of 100
How should a sublingual nitroglycerin tablet be administered during an episode of chest pain?
a.Placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve without swallowing
b.Swallowed whole with a full glass of water
c.Chewed thoroughly and then swallowed
d.Dissolved in juice and taken by mouth
Explanation
Sublingual tablets dissolve under the tongue so the drug is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the oral mucosa, giving rapid onset and bypassing first-pass liver metabolism. Swallowing, chewing, or dissolving the tablet in liquid sends it through the digestive tract and destroys that advantage.
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