If a drug is given orally with F less than 1, how does the oral AUC compare with the IV AUC when equal doses are used?

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Multiple Choice

If a drug is given orally with F less than 1, how does the oral AUC compare with the IV AUC when equal doses are used?

Explanation:
When a drug is given orally, only a fraction F of the dose reaches systemic circulation. The AUC for an extravascular dose is proportional to F × Dose divided by clearance (AUC = F × Dose / Cl). For an IV dose, F is 1, so AUC_IV = Dose / Cl. With equal doses, AUC_oral = F × Dose / Cl, which is smaller than AUC_IV when F < 1. Therefore, the oral AUC is less than the IV AUC. This reflects incomplete bioavailability due to absorption and first-pass effects.

When a drug is given orally, only a fraction F of the dose reaches systemic circulation. The AUC for an extravascular dose is proportional to F × Dose divided by clearance (AUC = F × Dose / Cl). For an IV dose, F is 1, so AUC_IV = Dose / Cl. With equal doses, AUC_oral = F × Dose / Cl, which is smaller than AUC_IV when F < 1. Therefore, the oral AUC is less than the IV AUC. This reflects incomplete bioavailability due to absorption and first-pass effects.

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