Aspirin comes in enteric-coated and non-enteric (regular) forms. Regular aspirin is absorbed in the stomach, while enteric-coated aspirin is absorbed in the small intestine. An enteric coating is a specialized polymeric barrier applied to oral medications, such as tablets or capsules. The term “enteric” refers to the small intestine, defining the coating’s primary goal: to keep the medication intact as it passes through the highly acidic environment of the stomach. Enteric‑coated tablets are oral dosage forms coated with a pH dependent polymer barrier designed to withstand stomach acid and only dissolve once they reach the small intestine. What Defines an Enteric Coating? An enteric coated tablet is a medication covered with a specialized layer designed to remain intact in the acidic environment of the stomach. This coating acts as a protective barrier, preventing the tablet from dissolving prematurely. Enteric coating is defined as an outer coating applied to oral pharmaceutical dosage forms that prevents drug release in the stomach but allows it in the small intestine, using polymers that are insoluble at acidic pH but soluble at intestinal pH. An enteric coating allows tablets to survive intact as they pass through the acidic stomach. They then dissolve in the less acidic small intestine to be absorbed. Enteric-coated tablets are medications with a polymer coating that protects them from stomach acid. This allows them to dissolve in the small intestine, where they are more effectively absorbed. Enteric-coated aspirin lowers your risk of a heart attack, stroke or blood clot. It can also treat pain, inflammation and arthritis. Enteric coating An enteric coating is a polymer barrier applied to oral medication that prevents its dissolution or disintegration in the gastric environment. [1] Most of the aspirin sold in the United States is what's called enteric-coated or safety-coated aspirin: it has a smooth coating that protects it from stomach acid, allowing the drug to be released in the intestine instead of the stomach.