Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Practice Exam

Tetracycline capsules should be taken on an empty stomach due to which interaction?

1. Drug-drug interaction

2. Drug-disease interaction

3. Drug-food interaction

4. Drug-laboratory interaction

The correct answer is: Drug-food interaction

Tetracycline capsules should be taken on an empty stomach primarily because of a drug-food interaction. When tetracycline is ingested with food or certain dairy products, the presence of divalent and trivalent metal ions in these foods can bind to the antibiotic and form insoluble complexes. This binding significantly decreases the absorption of the medication into the bloodstream, reducing its effectiveness. Therefore, to ensure optimal absorption and efficacy, it is recommended that tetracycline be taken at least one hour before or two hours after eating. This understanding of drug-food interactions underlines the importance of following specific dosing instructions to avoid compromising the therapeutic outcomes of the medication.