Oral medications are considered to be what kind of drug?

Oral medications are classified as systemic drugs because they are absorbed into the bloodstream after ingestion and then distributed throughout the body to exert their effects on various systems or organs. This systemic route of administration is effective for treating conditions that require a broader approach, as the medication is not limited to a specific area or target site.

In contrast, local drugs would be applied to a particular area and have effects confined to that location. Subconjunctival and retrobulbar medications are specific routes of administration often used in ocular treatments, where the drug is delivered directly to the eye or behind the eye, respectively, to achieve localized effects. Therefore, when considering how oral medications function in the body, they are accurately categorized as systemic due to their widespread distribution and action.