When nitroglycerin is prescribed to be given sublingually, how should it be administered?

When nitroglycerin is prescribed to be given sublingually, administering it under the tongue is the correct method because this route allows the medication to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the tissues in the mouth. This is crucial for nitroglycerin, as it is often used to relieve chest pain (angina) by causing vasodilation, which helps to increase blood flow to the heart. Sublingual administration typically results in a faster onset of action compared to other routes because the medication bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and liver metabolism, leading to more immediate therapeutic effects.

Inhalation, intravenous, and topical methods would not allow for the same rapid and effective relief that sublingual administration offers for this specific medication. Each of these alternative routes serves different purposes or is used with different medications, but they do not align with the intended use of nitroglycerin in sublingual form.