Transcript Pills

DRUG FORMS
TYPES OF DOSAGE FORMS
• A dosage form refers to the package
or container that gives a drug its
shape
• For example, it might be a capsule
or cream or liquid.
CATEGORIES OF FORMS:
• Solids
• Liquids
• Semi-solids
• Misc.
SOLIDS
• Tablets: solid form that has been compressed
• Capsules: gelatin shell encloses drug
• Lozenge, troche, or pastille: active ingredients
combined with sweetener, dissolves in mouth
• Powders: milled and pulverized solid form
• Granules: larger than powders, small liquid
added to powder
• Effervescents: solid form
that dissolves in water
releasing CO2 (bubbles)
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TABLETS
Tablets can be unscored or scored
Buccal: dissolve between cheek & gums
Sublingual: dissolve under tongue
Chewable: (EX: Amoxicillin chewtabs)
Effervescent: (EX: Alka-Seltzer)
Enteric-coated: coated to delay release
of med until reaches intestinal tract (EX:
Enteric coated Advil)
• Film-coated: thin coat masks taste (EX:
Tylenol Caplets).
• Extended-release: controls
amount delivered over set time.
CAPSULES
• Enclosed in hard gelatin shell
– Contain powders, granules, or beads
– EX: Keflex capsules
• Enclosed in soft shell:
– Contain liquids
– EX: Vitamin E Capsules,
– EX: Prozac Pulvule
LOZENGES, PASTILLE, TROCHE
• Form of tablets that are not meant to be
swallowed but to dissolve in the mouth, which
releases the medication more slowly; hard or
gummy
• Some sources differentiate between the 3
• EX: Cough drops, Mycelex Troches
POWDERS
• Powders are solids which has
been crushed to make a
fine powder
• Can be used internally or externally
• Internal: typically mixed into a liquid to
improve the taste and then swallowed
– EX: Questran Powder
• External: topical
– EX: Tinactin Powder
LIQUIDS
• Composed of various solutions
• Can be administered by all routes
• Provide route for medication for those who
cannot chew or swallow solid forms
• Have shorter shelf life, often need to be
refrigerated.
LIQUIDS
• Solution: complete dissolution of medication in
liquid
• Suspension: dispersion of undissolved particles
of medication in a liquid.
• Emulsion: dispersion of two undissolvable liquids
(like oil and water)
• Foam: systems into which gas have been
incorporated into a liquid and when released the
entrapped gas gives a light consistency.
• Colloid: liquid preparations
which dry to form a flexible
film that can be removed
from the skin
TYPES OF SOLUTIONS
• Elixir: clear sweet combinations of water and
alcohol (EX: Phenobarbitol).
• Syrup: aqueous solution thickened with a large
amount of sugar or sugar substitute (EX: cough
syrup)
• Tincture: plant extracts dissolved in water or
alcohol (EX: Tincture of Benzoin) – not sweet,
many are topical
• Mouthwash/Rinse: provide medication
to oral cavity (EX: Listerine).
TYPES OF SOLUTIONS con’t
• Parenteral Medications: sterile products for
injection
• Sprays: composed of various bases as alcohol or
water in a pump-type dispenser (EX: Nasal
decongestant).
• Inhalants: variety of forms made to be easily
inhaled into respiratory system
(EX: Albuterol).
• Shampoo: medication to scalp
(EX: Lindane Shampoo).
SUSPENSIONS
• These are liquids that have very small, solid
particles suspended in the base solution
• They can be used orally by children and
seniors
• Suspensions have a “shake well” sticker and
a date of expiration
• Can be topical or taken internally
• EX: Cefzil Oral Suspension
EMULSIONS
• The mixture of water and oil when used with
an emulsifier binds the two together
• In time will settle out into two layers
• Must shake well
before dispensing
• EX: Calamine lotion
SEMISOLIDS
• Semisolids contain both liquids and solids
• They are meant for topical application
• Creams have medications in a base that is
part oil and part water and for topical use
SEMISOLID FORMS
• Ointments contain medication in a
glycol or oil base; they cover the
skin surface and keep out moisture
• Gels contain medication in a very
viscous (thick) liquid that easily
penetrates the skin
• Pastes contain a smaller amount
of liquid base than solids. They are
able to absorb skin secretions,
unlike other topical agents
• Creams contain a small
amount of oil dispersed
in water
SUPPOSITORIES
• Type of semisolid
• Designed to melt at internal body
temperature (98.6F) to release
medication into the body
• Can have local or systemic effect
• Inserted into a body cavity
– Rectum
– Urethra
– Vagina
MISCELLANEOUS FORMS
• Implant
– A special type of capsule can be implanted
under the skin & left in place for up to 5 years
– Medication is released in a stair-step method
– EX: Implanon
• Tape
– Applies and secures medication topically
– Improves absorption and provides barrier
• Transdermal Patch
– Holds medication in a reservoir
– Provides continual supply
over period of time
– EX: Nitroderm
• Chewing gum: Nicorette