injection

the means whereby a liquid (often a drug) is introduced into the body by using a syringe in cases where it would otherwise be destroyed by digestive processes. The location of the injection depends on the speed with which the drug is to be absorbed and the target site. Thus, injections may go into the skin (intradermal) or beneath the skin (subcutaneous, as with INSULIN ). For slow absorption an intramuscular injection is used, and INTRAVENOUS for fast delivery. See also DOSAGE ; IMPLANT .