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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Routes of Administration

Subcutaneous

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

/ˌsʌbkjuˈteɪniəs/adjectiveCommon term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, subcutaneous means: Given by injection into the fatty tissue just under the skin, from where the medicine is absorbed slowly into the blood.

In Turkish: deri altı, subkutan, SC

How it is used

Abbreviated SC, SQ or subcut; safety guidelines prefer 'subcut' or the full word, because SC and SQ can be misread. Insulin, low-molecular-weight heparins and many biological medicines are given this way, often by patients themselves with pens or pre-filled syringes, so pharmacists teach injection technique.

Example sentences

  1. Insulin is given as a subcutaneous injection, usually into the abdomen or thigh.

  2. Let me show you how to give the subcutaneous injection with this pen.

Common collocations

  • subcutaneous injection
  • subcutaneous route
  • given subcutaneously
  • subcutaneous tissue
  • injectionA way of giving a medicine with a needle and syringe or a pen device into a vein, a muscle or the tissue under the skin; also the liquid medicine itself.
  • intramuscularGiven by injection deep into a muscle, such as the upper arm, thigh or buttock, from where the medicine is absorbed into the blood.
  • intravenousGiven directly into a vein, either as a quick injection or as a slow infusion, so that the medicine reaches the bloodstream at once.
  • route of administrationThe way a medicine enters the body, for example by mouth, through the skin, by injection into a vein or muscle, or by breathing it in.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Routes of Administration

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.