Drug Dosage Forms and Bioavailability
**Drug dosage forms** refer to the physical forms in which medications are prepared and administered to patients. These include: - **Tablets** and **capsules** (oral administration) - **Injections** (intravenous, subcutaneous, or intramuscular) - **Creams** and **ointments** (topical application) - **Transdermal patches** (through the skin) - **Inhalers** (via the lungs) - **Suppositories** (rectal administration) Each dosage form is designed to deliver the drug in a specific way, influencing factors such as how quickly it takes effect, how long it lasts, and how stable the drug remains during administration. **Bioavailability**, on the other hand, is a measure of how much of the administered drug reaches the systemic circulation (the bloodstream) and is available to produce its intended therapeutic effect. It is typically expressed as a percentage of the total dose given. For example: - A drug with 100% bioavailability means the ent...