Misuse of formulations in the aged care setting

Abstract

Dose form alteration, such as tablet crushing and splitting or capsule opening, is increasingly common in the age care setting. These practices are often used to facilitate enteral drug administration to patients with swallowing difficulties. Careful attention to issues, such as formulation characteristics, drug stability, medicine palatability and physiochemical interactions, is needed to avoid the risk of medication inefficacy, enhanced risk of excessive pharmacological (or adverse) effects or occupational exposure by healthcare practitioners to potentially harmful medicines. Allied health practitioners should consult pharmacists to ensure that the pharmaceutical and clinical implications of dose form alteration are considered. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.