Drug FormsDrugs come in many different forms

DRUG FORMS

Before a drug can receive final approval by the FDA, the drug company must clearly state in what form or forms the drug will be manufactured.

Drugs can seriously injure the patient if administered in the wrong form.

Tablet: A tablet is a solid

drug form that contains an active drug, as a dried powder plus inert ingredients (binders & fillers) to provide bulk and ensure pill size and shape.

DRUG FORMS

A scored tablet has an indented line across it so that it can be easily split in half in equal pieces.

Scored tablets

DRUG FORMS

Capsule Capsule

Capsule: A capsule can

be a soft one-piece gelatin shell with the liquid drug inside

OR a hard shell manufactured in two pieces that fit together and hold a powdered drug inside

Ointments, creams, lotion

Ointment: greasy & clear

Creams & lotions: non-greasy, opaque, semi-liquid

Ointment- An ointment is a semi-solid emulsion of oil, lanolin or petrolatum.

Cream- A cream is absorbed into the skin and exert a local, not systemic drug effect.

Lotion- A suspension of a drug in a water base which also exerts a local, not systemic effect.

DRUG FORMS

Powders/Patches/Pellets A powder is a finely ground form of a

drug. They can be found within capsules or left in a vial to be reconstituted with sterile water for injection.

A pellet drug is inserted into the body by a physician

A transdermal patch is applied to the skin to release a small amount of the drug over a long period of time

A liquid drug comes in the form of a solution or suspension. Two general words used to describe liquid drugs are aqueous meaning water, and viscous meaning

thick.

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Liquids

Vials- a vial is a small glass bottle with an aluminum cap and a rubber stopper. The drug is removed with a syringe and needle.

Ampule- an ampule is a small glass container with a main body and a narrow top that is snapped into two pieces to remove the medicine with a syringe and needle.

Drug forms

Tincture-solutions that contain a drug in water and alcohol base

Syrup- solutions that contain a drug in water base with sugar and flavorings, but no alcohol.

Elixir-solutions that contain the drug in water & alcohol base with sugar & flavoring, used often for pediatric use & those who cannot swallow pills

Other Liquid forms

A mousse or Foam is a solution that contains a drug in a thickened alcohol base. It is expanded by tiny aerosol bubbles when expelled from the container.

A Spray is a solution that contains the drug in a water & alcohol solution, that is sprayed manually by a pump into the mouth or nose.

Sprays, Mousse, Foams

Emulsions are solutions that contain fat globules dispersed uniformly throughout a water base (such as some IV drugs)

Gels are solutions that contain fine undissolved particles dispersed throughout a thickened water base.

Emulsions & Gels

DRUG FORMSDrugs can also be administered in the form of a gas which can be inhaled by the patient

Compliance?

Studies have shown that patients usually take their prescribed drugs accurately only 50% of the time.

Researchers have tried to improve this percentage by inventing new drug forms.

Some new ideas on the horizon is an artificial tooth that can be programmed to disperse a drug at specific times.

Patient Compliance

Another invention in the works is a tasteless powder that can be sprinkled on food. This is already on the market in the form of a weight loss supplement. Sensa

How about a computer chip that is surgically inserted into the body that will receive a wireless signal to tell it when to release a dose.

New Drug Forms?

Drug formsDrug Manufacturers are constantly trying to improve the identification of drugs to prevent patients from getting their medications confused with one another.