Question: Do orally dissolving or sublingual medications like ondansetron and lorazepam break the fast?  Answer: Bismihi Ta’ala Orally dissolving tablets (ODT) and sublingual (SL) routes allow for mucosal absorption of medications. This is particularly beneficial in patients with difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). It also bypasses gastric and enteral breakdown and liver first-pass metabolism. The medication must first be diluted into saliva before absorption into the mucosa. The patient must avoid eating, drinking, smoking, and possibly talking to keep the tablet in place to dissolve and give time to transfer from the saliva into the mucosa. This time is variable depending on … Continue reading Use of Orally Dissolving and Sublingual Medications While Fasting