nonparenteral v. enteral

[Zaptastic]

From my text, parenteral is a route "other than alimentary canal" (e.g. intraosseus, intravenous, intra-arterial, intramuscular, mucosal), nonparenteral consists of oral and inhalation, and enteral is gastric feeding tube, oral, or rectal. I'm confused as to the relationship of "nonparenteral" and "enteral". Is one a subset of the other or what? If parenteral is non enteral, then isn't nonparenteral non non enteral which would be the same as enteral?

[MissJulie]

Nonparenteral is oral meds (pills, capsules, syrups, etc.), topical meds (ointments, patches like nitro), suppositories (lady partsl and rectal), etc.

Pareneteral is anything injected into the body: intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intracardiac, and intravennous, etc. This includes parenteral nutrition.

Enteral is anything placed directly into the digestive tract: NG-tube, J-tube, PEG tube.

Hope this helped :)

[Zaptastic]

Thanks!!

[Slewski]

Thank you Miss Julie! I was very confused and you clarified the definitions of each very well!