Nokea
The patient is taking low dose aspirin daily for his heart. The nurse knows only a portion of the medication taken actually reaches the tissue due to what process?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Drugs that are taken orally are usually absorbed from the small intestine directly into the portal venous system and then delivers these absorbed molecules into the liver, which immediately break the drug into metabolites, some of which are active and cause effects in the body, and some of which are deactivated and can be readily excreted from the body. As a result, a large percentage of the oral dose is destroyed at this point and never reaches the tissues. This process is not caused by distribution, absorption, or gastrointestinal circulation.