Final answer:
The statement that a drug given by a parenteral route acts outside the GI tract is true. Parenteral administration includes methods like intravenous or intramuscular injections and is preferred when drugs are not well absorbed in the GI tract.
Step-by-step explanation:
A drug given by a parenteral route indeed acts outside the GI tract, so the statement is true. The parenteral route refers to drug administration methods such as intravenous or intramuscular injections. This route is typically used in health-care settings and is preferred when a drug is not easily absorbed in the GI tract or needs to act quickly. Moreover, drugs administered parenterally can achieve substantially higher plasma levels compared to oral or intramuscular administration, which is an important consideration for treatment effectiveness, such as when treating an infection.
The most appropriate and convenient route for home administration of an antimicrobial to treat a systemic infection would generally be oral administration because patients can take these drugs conveniently at home. However, if a drug is not absorbed easily from the GI tract or if the patient is unable to take oral medications, alternative methods such as intravenous (in health-care settings) or topical applications for certain conditions might be used.