II. Indications: Medications

III. Technique

  1. Administered beneath Dermis and Epidermis
  2. Locations (typical Insulin injection sites)
    1. Upper arm
    2. Abdomen (sparing the peri-umbilical area in ~2 cm radius)
    3. Buttock
    4. Thigh (Anterolateral, at least 10 cm distal from top)
  3. Needle Sizes
    1. Length: 1/2 to 5/8 inch (regardless of age)
    2. Needle gauge
      1. Insulin: 28 to 32 gauge
      2. Other aqueous medications: 22 to 25 gauge
      3. Thick solutions: 21 to 23 gauge
  4. Technique: General
    1. Prep area (e.g. Alcohol swab)
    2. "Pinch an inch" of skin
    3. Inject at 45 to 90 degrees
  5. Technique: Insulin needles
    1. Typically shorter (4 to 5 mm long)
    2. Avoid pinching skin
    3. Inject at 90 degrees
  6. Reducing injection pain
    1. Allow medication dose to warm to room Temperature before infection
    2. Apply ice to the skin area for 10 min prior to injection
    3. Biologic Agents may have additional strategies for reducing injection site pain
      1. St Clair-Jones (2020) Rheumatol Ther 7(4):741-57 +PMID: 33206343 [PubMed]

IV. Precautions

  1. Rotate injection sites (risk of Lipodystrophy with frequent repeat use)
  2. Patients should dispose of needles in sharps container (NOT the trash)
  3. Avoid rubbing injection area after injection

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Related Studies

Ontology: Subcutaneous Injections (C0021499)

Definition (HL7V3.0) <p>Injection, subcutaneous</p>
Definition (MSH) Forceful administration under the skin of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through a hollow needle piercing the skin.
Concepts Functional Concept (T169)
MSH D007279
SnomedCT 180265002, 180251004, 32282008
HL7 SQ
LNC LA11366-4
English Injection, Subcutaneous, Injections, Subcutaneous, Subcutaneous Injection, Subcutaneous injection NOS, INJECT SUBCUTANEOUS, SUBCUTANEOUS INJECT, injections subcutaneous, subcutaneous injections, injection subcutaneous, subcutaneous injection, Subcutaneous injection NOS (procedure), Injection, subcutaneous, Subcutaneous injection, SC - Subcutaneous injection, Subcutaneous injection (procedure), Subcutaneous Injections
Swedish Injektioner, subkutana
Czech injekce subkutánní
Finnish Ihonalaiset injektiot
Russian IN"EKTSII PODKOZHNYE, VPRYSKIVANIIA PODKOZHNYE, ВПРЫСКИВАНИЯ ПОДКОЖНЫЕ, ИНЪЕКЦИИ ПОДКОЖНЫЕ
French Injections sous-cutanées
Polish Wstrzyknięcia podskórne
Japanese 皮下注射, 皮下注(注射), 注射-皮下
Norwegian Subkutane injeksjoner, Injeksjoner, subkutane
Spanish inyección subcutánea, SAI (procedimiento), inyección subcutánea, SAI, inyección subcutánea (procedimiento), inyección subcutánea, Inyecciones Subcutáneas
German Injektionen, subkutane, Subkutane Injektionen
Italian Iniezioni sottocutanee
Dutch Injectie, subcutane, Injecties, subcutane, Subcutane injectie
Portuguese Injeções Subcutâneas

Ontology: Subcutaneous Route of Drug Administration (C1522438)

Definition (HL7V3.0) <p>Subcutaneous</p>
Definition (HL7V3.0) <p>Subcutaneous</p>
Definition (SCTSPA) Vía de administración que se inicia en el tejido subcutáneo
Definition (SNOMEDCT_US) A route that begins in subcutaneous tissue.
Definition (NCI) Drug administration beneath the skin. It provides for relatively slow, sustained release of the drug. The rate of absorption into the blood is perfusion-limited, proportional to the amount of drug at the site and can be enhanced by chemical or physical stimulation of blood flow. Subcutaneous administration minimizes the risks associated with intravascular injection: for subcutaneous infusions, external and implantable pumps are used.
Definition (NCI_CDISC) Administration beneath the skin; hypodermic. Synonymous with the term SUBDERMAL. (FDA)
Definition (CSP) forceful introduction of a drug into the area beneath the skin for therapeutic or experimental purposes.
Concepts Functional Concept (T169)
SnomedCT 34206005
HL7 _SubcutaneousRoute, 2.16.840.1.113883.1.11.17339, SC
LNC LP35002-2, LA9451-1
English SubcutaneousRoute, Subcutaneous, Subcutaneous Route of Administration, SC - Subcutaneous route, subcutaneous drug administration, SC, Subdermal Route of Administration, SUBCUTANEOUS, Subcutaneous route, Subcutaneous route (qualifier value), Subcutaneous use, SC route, SC use, Subcutaneous Route of Drug Administration
Spanish vía subcutánea (calificador), vía de administración subcutánea, vía de administración en el tejido subcutáneo (calificador), vía subcutánea, vía de administración en el tejido subcutáneo, vía SC