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Transdermal delivery systems are primarily designed for providing sustained drug effects over an extended period, improving patient adherence by simplifying dosing regimens, and bypassing first-pass metabolism, which allows drug molecules to enter the systemic circulation directly through the skin instead of the gastrointestinal tract. This method is particularly beneficial for medications that would otherwise undergo extensive metabolism in the liver or have poor bioavailability when taken orally.

While transdermal systems do offer the advantage of delivering medications without the need for injections, their design typically does not prioritize fast relief. Instead, these systems steadily release the medication at a controlled rate, hence making them less suited for situations requiring immediate pharmacological responses.

This inherent characteristic distinguishes transdermal systems from other forms of drug delivery that might be designed for rapid response, such as intravenous or intramuscular injections, which can provide fast relief in acute conditions.