Which dosage form is designed to pass through the stomach and should never be crushed or broken?

Which dosage form is designed to pass through the stomach and should never be crushed or broken?

• A. Enteric-Coated tablets
• B. Film-Coated tablets
• C. Caplets
• D. Chewable tablets

Answer: (A)

Enteric-coated tablets are made with a special coating that resists stomach acid, so the tablet stays intact as it moves through the stomach and only releases the drug in the higher pH environment of the small intestine. This design protects drugs that can be degraded by stomach acid and helps prevent stomach irritation. Crushing or breaking the coating defeats this purpose, causing the drug to release in the stomach, which can irritate the gastric lining and alter absorption. Other forms are not universally designed to pass through the stomach intact and are typically intended to be swallowed or chewed as directed, not released in the stomach unchanged.

Enteric-coated tablets are made with a special coating that resists stomach acid, so the tablet stays intact as it moves through the stomach and only releases the drug in the higher pH environment of the small intestine. This design protects drugs that can be degraded by stomach acid and helps prevent stomach irritation. Crushing or breaking the coating defeats this purpose, causing the drug to release in the stomach, which can irritate the gastric lining and alter absorption. Other forms are not universally designed to pass through the stomach intact and are typically intended to be swallowed or chewed as directed, not released in the stomach unchanged.