Glucose gel route?

• A. IV
• B. IM
• C. PO
• D. SC

Answer: (C)

Glucose gel is designed to raise blood sugar through absorption in the mouth and gut, so it’s given orally to a conscious patient who can swallow and protect their airway. When placed in the mouth, the gel dissolves and glucose enters the bloodstream via the oral mucosa and the digestive tract, providing a relatively quick rise in blood glucose without needing an injection. This makes the oral route the appropriate choice for a patient who can safely swallow. If the patient were unconscious or unable to swallow, glucose gel would not be appropriate because of aspiration risk, and you’d use parenteral options like intravenous dextrose or an alternative such as glucagon. Injectable routes (IM or SC) aren’t used for this gel formulation, which is specifically intended for oral administration.