Patients and their physicians are often thrown into doubt by the excretion
of apparently intact tablets in stools after oral drug administration. Is t
hereto This occurs whenever patients receive certain required. pharmaceutic
al forms designed to prolong the rate of drug release. The active compound
is continuously released during intestinal passage of these pharmaceutical
forms and their insoluble coats are visibly excreted into stools wholly or
in part. The assumption that the drug was not released from the tablet in t
hese cases is therefore erroneous and no further action is required.