Which statement about oral medications is true?

• A. Emesis can be induced and the drug is expelled after administration
• B. Oral medications require no absorption in the small intestine
• C. Most oral medications are absorbed through the wall of the small intestine
• D. Oral medications take longer to absorb than intravenous medications

Answer: (C)

Absorption location defines how oral meds enter the body. Most drugs taken by mouth are absorbed across the wall of the small intestine because it has a large surface area with many villi and good blood flow, allowing drugs to pass into the bloodstream efficiently. This is the main reason this statement is true.

If vomiting occurs after taking a pill, the drug could be expelled before it’s absorbed, but that isn’t the standard property of oral medications. Saying no absorption happens in the small intestine is inaccurate because the small intestine is where the majority of oral drug absorption occurs. The idea that oral meds consistently take longer to absorb than intravenous meds is not a reliable general rule, since IV administration bypasses absorption altogether and produces a much faster onset.