A LITTLE LIGHTBULB MOMENT
Dosage forms, delivery and compounding principles
Enteric coating resists stomach acid
Sign in to bookmark this concept and add private notes →
A stomach-proof raincoat waits for the intestine
The idea behind the cue
Enteric-coated dosage forms are designed to resist disintegration in gastric acid and dissolve in the higher-pH environment of the intestine. They can protect acid-labile drugs or reduce stomach irritation from some drugs. They should not be crushed or chewed unless specifically allowed.
Practice this flashcard →Make it memorable
Short & simple
A stomach-proof raincoat waits for the intestine
Acronym
EA — Eccentric Alpacas.
Story
A tablet wearing a raincoat slips through the acidic stomach without opening. It unwraps only after arriving in the intestine, where the pH is more favorable.
Connect the pieces
- E (Eccentric) → Enteric-coated: Resist disintegration in gastric acid and are made to dissolve in the higher-pH intestine.
- A (Alpacas) → Acid-resistant: Helps protect acid-labile drugs or reduce stomach irritation by avoiding stomach acid.
- Eccentric · Enteric-coated: Resist disintegration in gastric acid and are made to dissolve in the higher-pH intestine.
- Alpacas · Acid-resistant: Helps protect acid-labile drugs or reduce stomach irritation by avoiding stomach acid.
Know the limits
Not every acid-sensitive drug uses enteric coating; some are stabilized by other formulation methods.
Further reading · OpenStax Pharmacology for Nurses · foundational mechanisms ↗Check your understanding
A patient asks why an enteric-coated tablet is designed to pass through the stomach before releasing drug. Which explanation best describes the coating?
A. To make a tablet taste sweet
B. To increase injection viscosity
C. To dissolve immediately in the stomach
D. To resist gastric acid and release in the intestine
Reveal explanation
To resist gastric acid and release in the intestine
Enteric coatings prevent release in the acidic stomach and allow release in the intestine.
Further reading · OpenStax Pharmacology for Nurses · foundational mechanisms ↗