RECTAL DRUGS

Rectal drugs are medications

prepared specifically for
insertion into the rectum. They
could be in the form of cream,
lotion, or ointment.
Administering the drugs
rectally is best for patients who
cannot take drugs orally.
 Interpret Rectal Drug Labels
• identify the drug name /
generic name
• check for the dose strength
• expiration date
 Types of Rectal Drugs
1. Enema - the injection of liquid
into the rectum through the anus for
cleansing, for stimulating evacuation
of the bowels, or for other
therapeutic or diagnostic purposes
2. Suppository - a small piece
of medicated substance,
usually conical, ovoid, or
cylindrical, introduced into a
body passage, as the rectum or
vagina, where body heat
• Suppository is considered to
be the most used form of
rectal medicine.
Dosage Calculation for
Rectal Drugs
• Calculate for a suppository
dosage supposing a patient
needs 250 mg of a suppository
and the package label says 125
mg.
Example 2:
• A doctor asked the nurse to give
the patient 20 mg of suppository.
The suppositories on the shelf show
10 mg each. How many pieces of
suppository should you give to the
patient?
Compute the rectal drug dosage of the
following
1. Peter needs 30 mg of suppository, the
suppositories shelf shows 6 mg each. How
many suppositories did Peter need?

2. Calculate for the suppository dosage if

the patient needs 1000mg of suppository
and the package label says it has 250 mg
in one suppository.
TRUE or FALSE
___1. Rectal drugs are in the form of capsules or
tablets.
___2. Rectal drugs are administered to the patients
who cannot take drugs orally.
___3. Suppository is the injection of liquid into
the rectum through the anus for cleansing.
___4. Enema is a small piece of medicated
substance.
___5. Suppository is considered to be the most
used form of rectal medicine.
 Assignment :
Solve for rectal drug dosage

1. Calculate for a suppository dosage supposing

a patient needs 2500 mg of a suppository and
the package label says 250 mg.
2. A doctor asked the nurse to give the patient
50 mg of suppository. The suppositories on
the shelf show 10 mg each. How many pieces
of suppository should you give to the patient?