Nitroglycerin is a common example of which administration route?

• A. Sublingual
• B. Buccal
• C. Oral
• D. Rectal

Answer: (A)

For rapid relief of angina, the goal is to get nitroglycerin into the bloodstream quickly and with minimal loss of potency. The sublingual route achieves this by placing the tablet under the tongue, where it dissolves and is absorbed directly through the highly vascular oral mucosa into the systemic circulation. Because it bypasses the liver’s first-pass metabolism, more of the active drug acts quickly, producing a rapid onset of relief within minutes.

Swallowing the medication (oral) means it must pass through the digestive system and be metabolized by the liver first, which slows onset and reduces the amount reaching the bloodstream promptly. The buccal route can also absorb through mucosa, but for acute, fast-acting treatment of angina, the sublingual form is specifically favored for its speed and reliability. Rectal administration is not used for this purpose due to its unpredictable absorption and slower onset. So the quickest, most reliable option for immediate relief is the sublingual route.