Pharmacy assignment help sample PHAR1001 - Pharmaceutical Sciences 1

A pharmacist is tasked with advising a patient who has been prescribed a new drug that is administered orally. The drug has a low bioavailability, meaning that only a small fraction of the administered dose reaches systemic circulation. The patient is curious about how the drug is absorbed in the body and why the bioavailability is low. The pharmacist needs to explain the key concepts of absorption, first-pass metabolism, and drug formulation to the patient. The patient also asks whether there are alternative ways to improve the drug's effectiveness or if other methods of administration might be better.

Using your understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmaceutical sciences, provide a detailed explanation of the factors affecting drug bioavailability, including the process of absorption, first-pass metabolism, and drug formulation. Additionally, evaluate potential strategies that might improve the bioavailability of the drug, and discuss whether alternative methods of administration, such as intravenous or sublingual routes, could be more effective.