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Biology

Pharmacokinetic Principles of Drug Absorption and First-Pass Metabolism

Quick fact

When taken orally, a drug may lose more than 90% of its active dose before it ever reaches your general circulation—this is the first-pass effect.

Why this is interesting

You swallow a painkiller and wait. But why does it take so long to work, and why does the dose seem so much higher than what you'd get through an IV? The answer lies in a gauntlet your drug must survive before it ever reaches your bloodstream.