Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your certification!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What is the term for medication that is applied directly to the body surface?

Inhalation
Enteral
Topical
Parenteral

The correct answer is: Topical

The term for medication that is applied directly to the body surface is topical. Topical administration involves delivering drugs to a localized area, such as the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes, allowing for effects at the site of application without significant systemic absorption. This method is commonly used for treatments like creams, gels, ointments, and patches, providing targeted therapy with minimal side effects compared to systemic routes. In contrast, inhalation refers to medications taken in via the lungs, enteral pertains to medications administered through the gastrointestinal tract, and parenteral involves injections that bypass the digestive system. Each of these methods has distinct purposes and mechanisms, but for direct application to the body's surface, topical is the precise and suitable term.