Question

Achlorhydria is a medical condition in which the production of gastric acid in the stomach is absent.

a) State whether achlorohydra will enhance, retard, or have no effect on the absorption of an acidic Drug from the stomach?

b) explain how achlorhydria may affect the absorption of the acidic drug from the stomach?

c) if achlorhydra has an effect on the absorption (whether increasing or decreasing), what kind of advice you may have for achlorhydria patients (please do not answer to take more drugs).

Answer 1

Ans: a) When an acidic drug is administered orally, most of the drug in the stomach is unionized, favoring diffusion through the gastric mucosa. Since Achlorhydria results in decrease in the production of hydrochloric acid this will result in the increase in the pH which will lead to the decrease in the absorption of acidic drugs.

b) Achlorhydria decrease the absorption of the acidic drug from the stomach because the low pH of the stomach which is maintained by Hydrochloric acid production, ender acidic drugs into a lipid-soluble nonpolar form, which would favour absorption. Since this disorder results in the decrease in the Hydrochloric acid production therefore increasing the pH in the stomach, so now the acidic drugs will not render into a lipid soluble non polar form and hence their absorption affected.

c) The person suffering from achlorhydra should not consume acidic drugs because they will not absorb efficiently and also not consume any fast food because it will cause acidity and which has adverse effects. Mainly the acidic pH of the stomach is required for the digestion of iron and person suffering from this disorder often develop iron deficiency anemia.