0.5 mg =____mcg (Fill in the blank with the numerical value only)

• Subcutaneous: A parenteral route where medication is injected into the tissue layer between the skin and muscle. It bypasses the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, allowing for faster absorption of certain medications like insulin or heparin.
• NG Tube: A form of enteral administration that delivers medication directly into the stomach via a nasogastric tube. This route utilizes the GI tract and is often used for patients who cannot swallow.
• Oral: A classic enteral route involving medication taken by mouth and absorbed through the digestive tract. It is the most common and convenient method of drug delivery.
• Rectal: An enteral route that involves administration of medication into the rectum, where it is absorbed by the lower GI tract. It is often used when oral administration is not feasible.
• Intramuscular: A parenteral route where medication is injected into a muscle, offering faster absorption than enteral routes. Common for vaccines and certain pain medications.
• Intravenous: A parenteral route that delivers medication directly into the bloodstream. It provides the most rapid onset of action and is used for critical care, emergencies, and precise dosing.

A. The safe and toxic plasma levels of the drug are very close to each other: A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin between the minimum effective concentration and the toxic concentration. Small dosing errors or individual variations in metabolism can lead to toxicity or subtherapeutic effects, requiring close monitoring.
B. The drug has a wide range between its effective dose and toxic dose: This describes a drug with a wide therapeutic index, which allows more flexibility in dosing without significant risk of toxicity. Narrow therapeutic index drugs are the opposite and require precise dosing.
C. The drug requires infrequent monitoring of serum levels: Medications with a narrow therapeutic index often require frequent serum level monitoring to ensure that the drug stays within the safe and effective range. This helps reduce the risk of adverse effects or treatment failure.
D. The drug has a high margin of safety in clinical use: A high margin of safety is characteristic of drugs with a wide therapeutic index. Narrow therapeutic index drugs have a low safety margin and pose higher risks if not carefully dosed and monitored.