Intramuscular injection (intramuscular, IM) is a nursing service used for the administration of drugs that cannot be absorbed gastrointestinally. This type of injection is used for drugs that are injected directly into the muscle and thus allow the patient rapid absorption.
If the course of intramuscular injections involves several punctures, it is recommended to change the injection area so as to reduce the risk of localized reactions to the drug or the formation of any abscesses.
TheIntramuscular injection is used for drug administration in the following areas: deltoid (arm), dorsogluteal (gluteus), ventrogluteal (area of overlap between gluteus medius and gluteus minimus), rectofemoral (thigh, between the patella and the superior iliac crest) and vastolateral (thigh). The area of injection depends on the age and clinical picture of the patient.