[Absorption of anti-tuberculous drugs after gastric surgery (author's transl)].

Although partial gastrectomy does not, as a rule, greatly impair the absorption of ethambutol by tuberculous patients, subtotal or total gastrectomy may reduce it by 40--60 per cent. Rifampicin and isoniazid are almost completely absorbed; but postprandial administration of rifampicin may be preferable in these cases. In the presence of anacidity absorption of isoniazid is slowed down but not reduced quantitatively. To estimate the degree to which absorption is impaired the drug levels in the blood after oral and intravenous administration should be determined over two consecutive days.