A prescription reads: "Nitroglycerin 0.4 mg SL tablets, 1 tab SL at onset of chest pain, may repeat q5min, max 3 tabs in 15 min." The frequency limits are already typed on the label. Which wording should the pharmacy technician use for the route?
ASwallow 1 tablet whole with water✗ Incorrect
SL means sublingual. These tablets are meant to dissolve in the mouth, not to be swallowed.
BChew 1 tablet completely, then swallow✗ Incorrect
Chewing and swallowing sends the drug to the stomach, which is not how a sublingual tablet is used.
CPlace 1 tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve✓ Correct
Correct. SL stands for sublingual: the tablet dissolves under the tongue without being swallowed.
DDissolve 1 tablet in water and drink the solution✗ Incorrect
Making a drink from the tablet means swallowing it, which defeats the sublingual route.
Answer
C. Place 1 tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve
Rationale
SL is the abbreviation for sublingual, meaning under the tongue. The nitroglycerin label directs the patient to let the tablet dissolve beneath the tongue (or in the cheek pouch) without swallowing it, as soon as an angina attack begins. Long-term care rules even note that a resident who keeps swallowing these tablets needs a different dosage form, which shows how much the route matters.
RememberSL = sublingual: dissolve under the tongue, never swallow. Nitroglycerin SL is for acute chest pain.
Sources
Sources marked “Adapted from” are licensed under CC BY 4.0. We changed the material: its facts are rewritten into an original question, answer options and rationale. The original authors and publishers do not endorse SwipeExam.
