What is the maximum intranasal medication volume per nare?

What is the maximum intranasal medication volume per nare?

• A. Administer 2 mL per nare
• B. Administer only 0.5 mL per nare
• C. Administer a maximum of 1 mL per nare
• D. Administer up to 1.5 mL per nare

Answer: (C)

Intranasal dosing relies on the drug staying in contact with the nasal mucosa to absorb quickly into the bloodstream. There’s a practical limit to how much liquid the nostril can hold at once; volumes larger than about 1 mL per nostril tend to run off into the throat or nasal cavity without being absorbed, wasting dose and potentially causing irritation or aspiration. That’s why the maximum per nare is 1 mL. In practice, many intranasal devices deliver around 0.5 mL per spray, so you may administer up to about 1 mL in a nostril (often by using two sprays) to ensure effective absorption. If more drug is needed, repeat dosing via another route rather than exceeding this per-nostril limit.

Intranasal dosing relies on the drug staying in contact with the nasal mucosa to absorb quickly into the bloodstream. There’s a practical limit to how much liquid the nostril can hold at once; volumes larger than about 1 mL per nostril tend to run off into the throat or nasal cavity without being absorbed, wasting dose and potentially causing irritation or aspiration. That’s why the maximum per nare is 1 mL. In practice, many intranasal devices deliver around 0.5 mL per spray, so you may administer up to about 1 mL in a nostril (often by using two sprays) to ensure effective absorption. If more drug is needed, repeat dosing via another route rather than exceeding this per-nostril limit.