Drug Form
This drug form dissolves fastest in the GI tract.
What is a liquid solution
The percentage of drug that reaches systemic circulation is called this.
What is bioavailability?
Lying on this side slows gastric emptying.
What is the left side?
This protein drug cannot be given orally because enzymes inactivate it.
What is insulin?
The nurse knows that a drug’s absorption is most rapid in which location?
What is the small intestine?
These two drug forms should never be crushed or chewed.
What are enteric-coated and sustained-release?
The rate and extent of absorption directly influence what?
What is a drug’s effectiveness?
This side-lying position speeds gastric emptying.
What is the right side?
Enteric-coated tablets should never be ______, ______, or ______.
What are crushed, broken, or chewed?
The nurse is teaching a patient about aspirin. Which statement shows correct understanding?
A. “It dissolves better in the intestines than the stomach.”
B. “It is absorbed faster in the stomach because it is acidic.”
C. “It works better if I take it with milk.”
D. “I can crush it for faster absorption.”
What is B?
This coating prevents medication from dissolving in the stomach and instead dissolves in the intestine.
What is enteric-coated?
Which type of transport moves drugs from high concentration to low concentration without energy?
What is passive diffusion?
Tetracycline absorption decreases up to 80% when combined with what dietary substance?
What is milk (calcium) or iron/antacids (heavy metals)?
Prolonged fasting (>20 hours) delays absorption because of this effect on GI blood vessels.
What is vasoconstriction of the mucosa?
Which factors decrease absorption? (Select all that apply)
A. Fatty meal
B. Lying on the left side
C. Laxative use
D. Taking tetracycline with milk
E. Soluble liquid drug form
What are A, B, and D?
A patient is prescribed a tablet but cannot swallow pills. What should the nurse check for before administering?
What is a liquid or chewable form.
Non-ionized drugs are ______-soluble and cross membranes ______.
What is lipid-soluble and cross membranes easily?
This organ provides the greatest surface area for drug absorption due to villi and folds.
What is the small intestine?
A nurse knows not to give tetracycline with dairy or antacids because it forms what?
An insoluble complex that reduces absorption.
The nurse is preparing to give meds. Which patient needs follow-up?
A. Enteric-coated aspirin with water
B. Sustained-release capsule, can’t swallow pills
C. Tetracycline with orange juice
D. Liquid acetaminophen before surgery
Who is B?
Which drug form is more bioavailable:
A. Non-soluble suspension (cloudy liquid)
B. Soluble liquid solution
What is B. Soluble liquid solution?
A nurse increases the dose of a lipid-soluble drug. How does this affect absorption?
What increases the rate of diffusion into the bloodstream, because diffusion depends on concentration gradients.
Delayed stomach emptying usually slows absorption. Name 2 common causes.
What are fatty foods and lying on the left side?
A patient insists on crushing all meds. Which drug forms are most dangerous if crushed? (SATA)
A. Sustained-release capsule
B. Film-coated tablet
C. Enteric-coated aspirin
D. Chewable vitamin tablet
E. Sublingual nitroglycerin
What are A and C?
The nurse is reinforcing teaching about drug absorption. Which statements are correct? (Select all that apply)
A. Basic drugs absorb better in the alkaline intestine.
B. Acidic drugs absorb better in the alkaline intestine.
C. Non-ionized drugs are lipid-soluble and diffuse easily.
D. Ionized drugs dissolve easily in fluids but cross membranes slowly.
E. Bioavailability only refers to IV drugs.
What are A, C, and D?