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Subcutaneous administration
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<p>Subcutaneous administration is the insertion of medications beneath the skin either by injection or infusion. </p><p>A subcutaneous injection is administered as a <a href="/facts/Bolus_(medicine)/R1HoCrB8">bolus</a> into the <a href="/facts/Subcutis/EPYjXN3G">subcutis</a>, the layer of skin directly below the <a href="/facts/Dermis/WAm7Fd6P">dermis</a> and <a href="/facts/Epidermis_(skin)/JvRABubP">epidermis</a>, collectively referred to as the <a href="/facts/Cutis_(anatomy)/vbq9I5TF">cutis</a>. The instruments are usually a <a href="/facts/Hypodermic_needle/EJEUNyRK">hypodermic needle</a> and a <a href="/facts/Syringe/8m937D8m">syringe</a>. Subcutaneous injections are highly effective in administering medications such as <a href="/facts/Insulin/oXG0myt1">insulin</a>, <a href="/facts/Morphine/8ngpXHDc">morphine</a>, <a href="/facts/Heroin/rYwrKHPk">diacetylmorphine</a> and <a href="/facts/Goserelin/KzTxEQCU">goserelin</a>. Subcutaneous administration may be <a href="/facts/List_of_medical_abbreviations/231zL19X">abbreviated</a> as SC, SQ, subcu, sub-Q, SubQ, or subcut. Subcut is the preferred abbreviation to reduce the risk of misunderstanding and potential errors. </p><p>Subcutaneous tissue has few blood vessels and so drugs injected into it are intended for slow, sustained rates of absorption, often with some amount of <a href="/facts/Depot_injection/wkVMHHdB">depot</a> effect. Compared with other <a href="/facts/Route_of_administration/LsyoHTzH">routes of administration</a>, it is slower than <a href="/facts/Intramuscular_injection/PPNwW2wB">intramuscular injections</a> but still faster than <a href="/facts/Intradermal_injection/dsBv9Ke2">intradermal injections</a>. Subcutaneous infusion (as opposed to subcutaneous injection) is similar but involves a continuous drip from a bag and line, as opposed to injection with a syringe. </p>