Nasal versus sublingual routes for emergency drug administration

Rapid drug absorption is essential for achieving immediate or life-saving therapeutic effects in medical emergencies. While intravenous and intramuscular routes are ideal due to their rapid onset of action, they are invasive and require administration by a healthcare professional. Scientists are therefore actively seeking alternatives that reduce invasiveness, enable self-administration, and enhance patient acceptance without compromising efficacy. Both nasal and sublingual routes offer rapid and direct access into the bloodstream. They offer attractive alternatives to invasive routes by reducing the need for needles and improving medicine delivery in emergency situations. This review delves into the comparative analysis of emergency drug administration via nasal and sublingual routes. It aims to comprehensively compare these non-invasive routes by considering factors such as onset of action, bioavailability, and administration practicality. Additionally, this review comprehensively examines marketed products and ongoing potential research to evaluate the applicability of these routes in emergency situations.