This is an automatically translated article.
(SKDS) - In fact, many people have arbitrarily crushed the pill or broken the pill in half or opened the capsule to get the powder or pill inside to make it easier to swallow. This happens more often when the drug is given to children and the elderly. Doing so not only reduces the quality of the drug's treatment, but it can also lead to drug-related complications. The following are some forms of drugs that need to be taken whole tablets:Enteric coated form
This is a dosage form that helps the drug not to be disintegrated in the stomach but only dissolves in the first part of the small intestine (ie the duodenum) and released. likes drugs in the gut. The purpose of enteric coated drugs is to: prevent drug release in the stomach, damage to the gastric mucosa (such as aspirin pH8 enteric coated tablets), prevent the drug from being destroyed by gastric acid. (such as zymoplex capsules containing enteric-coated microparticles. In fact, the microparticles contain pancreatin, pancreatic enzymes that help digestion, which will be destroyed if exposed to gastric acid)... Thus, For enteric coated tablets, it is very important to swallow the whole tablet whole, not to break it, including chewing and sucking.
Do not crush the pill.
Extended-release drug form
This is a form of medicine with a special thin film or an inert matrix containing the drug, which will release the drug during its passage in the gastrointestinal tract to long-acting, releasing the drug for 12 or 24 hours. So just take the pill 1 or 2 times a day.
For this form of medication, note that the abbreviation after the drug name will indicate the drug form such as “extended release” or “slow-acting, repeat-acting, controlled-acting” such as adalat LP, procan SR, adalat retard, polaramin repetabs, carbiset TR, dilacor XR, dimetapp extentabs, ditropan XL, dina cire CR...
In particular, this form of medicine contains a higher dose than the usual form, so the correct number of tablets must be taken. , the number of times a day prescribed by the doctor. If taken incorrectly can cause a dangerous overdose and especially do not chew, break or open the capsule.
Sublingual medicine
This medicine must not be crushed, broken, but must be kept intact to put under the tongue and suck to dissolve. Because if broken, crushed will break and ruin the drug form. For example, the drugs sorbitrate, sublingual, ergomar.
Effervescent form of medicine
This is also the form that must be kept intact, even if the medicine is well preserved to avoid hygroscopicity and only taken after dissolving in enough water to effervescent and dissolve completely. Never break an effervescent tablet or put it whole in your mouth.
Drugs containing pharmaceutical substances are very bitter or harmful to some people if exposed.
Some other drugs such as betapen- VK, cipro, ceftin, desyrel, equanil... are drugs that must be taken whole. If broken, crushed, the patient will not tolerate the unpleasant bitter taste of the drug.
Some drugs such as dolobib, feldence, posicor, if crushed or opened capsules, the powder will disperse, contact with skin or mucous membranes, causing irritation. Even drugs such as propecia, proscar are recommended not to be crushed or broken because if the powder is dispersed, entering the pregnant woman's body (via the mouth, nose, sticking to the hands and then into the mouth) will affect the fetus. Because of the importance of compliance, the patient must keep the tablet intact when taking it.
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc
