Final answer:
The first method suggested when administering oral medication is to use drugs that are easily taken at home, considering their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. If oral administration is not feasible or the drug is not easily absorbed, parenteral routes such as intravenous or intramuscular injections are preferred.
Step-by-step explanation:
When administering oral medication, it is generally preferred to first attempt the use of drugs that can be conveniently taken by the patient at home. Oral administration is advantageous for its ease and non-invasive nature. However, factors such as absorption from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract must be considered, and when a drug is not easily absorbed orally, alternatives such as parenteral routes (e.g., intravenous or intramuscular injection) might be used. This is particularly true in cases where achieving higher plasma levels swiftly is crucial, such as when treating severe infections.
For diseases of the intestinal tract, like tapeworms, or for bowel decontamination, certain drugs may be useful precisely because they are not easily absorbed, hence they remain in the GI tract to exert their effect. When oral administration is not feasible, due to conditions like vomiting or intubation, parenteral routes are generally the next resort. Moreover, dosage and route of administration must be carefully determined to achieve therapeutic efficacy while minimizing the risk of side effects.