Intramuscular

Intramuscular (often abbreviated as IM) refers to the administration of medication directly into the muscles. This is one of several routes for drug administration, including oral, subcutaneous, intravenous, and others. Intramuscular injection may be preferred for certain drugs due to the muscle's large blood supply, which allows for faster absorption.

Procedure

The procedure for intramuscular injection involves inserting a needle into a specific muscle, then injecting the medication. The most common sites for intramuscular injections are the deltoid muscle of the arm, the vastus lateralis muscle of the thigh, and the ventrogluteal and dorsogluteal muscles of the buttocks.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Intramuscular injections have several advantages. They allow for faster absorption than subcutaneous injections due to the larger blood supply to muscles. They also allow for the administration of larger volumes of medication than subcutaneous injections.

However, intramuscular injections also have disadvantages. They can be painful and may cause damage to nerves or blood vessels. They also carry a risk of infection, especially if the skin is not properly cleaned before the injection.

See Also

• Subcutaneous injection
• Intravenous injection
• Oral administration
• Drug administration

References

Intramuscular Resources
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