Dosage form
Dosage forms(also calledunit doses) arepharmaceutical drugproducts in the form in which they are marketed for use, with a specific mixture ofactive ingredientsand inactive components (excipients), in a particular configuration (such as acapsuleshell, for example), and apportioned into a particulardose.For example, two products may both beamoxicillin,but one is in 500 mg capsules and another is in 250 mg chewable tablets. The termunit dosecan also sometimes encompass non-reusablepackagingas well (especially when each drug product is individually packaged[1]), although the FDA distinguishes that byunit-dose "packaging" or "dispensing".[2]Depending on the context,multi(ple) unit dosecan refer to distinct drug productspackagedtogether, or to asingledrug product containing multiple drugs and/or doses. The termdosage formcan also sometimes referonlyto thepharmaceutical formulationof a drug product's constituent drug substance(s) and any blends involved, without considering matters beyond that (like how it is ultimately configured as a consumable product such as a capsule, patch, etc.). Because of the somewhat vague boundaries and unclear overlap of these terms and certain variants and qualifiers within the pharmaceutical industry, caution is often advisable when conversing with someone who may be unfamiliar with another person's use of the term.
Depending on the method/route of administration, dosage forms come in several types. These include many kinds of liquid, solid, and semisolid dosage forms. Common dosage forms includepill,tablet,or capsule,drinkorsyrup,among many others.
When one drug product (for example, one tablet, one capsule, one syrup) contains more than one drug (more than oneactive ingredient), that product is acombination drug(fixed-dose combination; FDC).
Innaturopathy,dosages can take the form ofdecoctionsandherbal teas,as well as the more conventional methods previously mentioned.
Theroute of administration(ROA) fordrug deliveryis dependent on the dosage form of thesubstancein question. Various dosage forms may exist for a single particular drug, since somemedical conditionssuch as being unconscious can restrict ROA. For example, persistentnausea,especially withvomiting,may make it difficult to use anoraldosage form, and in such a case, it may be necessary to use an alternative route such asinhalational,buccal,sublingual,nasal,suppositoryorparenteralinstead. Additionally, a specific dosage form may be a requirement for certain kinds of drugs, as there may be issues with various factors likechemical stabilityorpharmacokinetics.As an example,insulincannot be given orally because upon being administered in this manner, it is extensivelymetabolizedin thegastrointestinal tract(GIT) before reaching theblood stream,and is thereby incapable of sufficiently reaching its therapeutic target destinations. The oral and intravenous doses of a drug such asparacetamolwill differ for the same reason.[3]
Oral
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- Pills,i.e. tablets or capsules
- Liquids such as syrups, solutions,elixers,emulsions,andtinctures
- Liquids such as decoctions and herbal teas
- Orally disintegrating tablets
- Lozengesor candy (electuaries)
- Thin films(e.g.,Listerine Pocketpaks,nitroglycerin) to be placed on top of or underneath the tongue as well as against the cheek
- Powdersoreffervescent powder or tablets,often instructed to be mixed into a food item
- Plants or seeds prepared in various ways such as acannabis edible
- Pastes such as high fluoridetoothpastes
- Gases such asoxygen(can also be delivered through the nose)
Ophthalmic
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Inhalation
[edit]- Aerosolizedmedication
- Dry-powder Inhalersormetered dose inhalers
- Nebulizer-administered medication
- Smoking
- Vaporizer-administered medication
Unintended ingredients
[edit]Talc is anexcipientoften used in pharmaceutical tablets that may end up being crushed to a powder against medical advice or for recreational use. Also,illicit drugsthat occur as white powder in their pure form are oftencutwith cheaptalc.Natural talc is cheap but containsasbestoswhile asbestos-free talc is more expensive. Inhaled talc that has asbestos is generally accepted as being able to cause lung cancer if it is inhaled. The evidence about asbestos-free talc is less clear, according to theAmerican Cancer Society.[4]
Injection
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Parenteral
[edit]- Intradermally-administered (ID)
- Subcutaneously-administered (SC)
- Intramuscularly-administered (IM)
- Intraosseousadministration (IO)
- Intraperitoneally-administered (IP)
- intravenously-administered (IV)
- Intracavernously-administered (ICI)
These are usually solutions and suspensions.
Unintended ingredients
[edit]Safe
[edit]Eye drops(normal saline in disposable packages) are distributed to syringe users byneedle exchange programs.[citation needed]
Unsafe
[edit]The injection of talc from crushed pills has been associated withpulmonary talcosisin intravenous drug users.[5]
Topical
[edit]- Creams,liniments,balms (such as lip balm or antiperspirants and deodorants), lotions, or ointments, etc.
- Gelsandhydrogels
- Ear drops
- Transdermalanddermal patchesto be applied to the skin
- Powders
Unintended use
[edit]- It is not safe to calculate divided doses by cutting and weighing medical skin patches, because there's no guarantee that the substance is evenly distributed on the patch surface.[6]For example,fentanyltransdermal patches are designed to slowly release the substance over 3 days. It is well known that cut fentanyl transdermal consumed orally have cause overdoses and deaths.
- Singleblotting papersfor illicit drugs injected from solvents in syringes may also cause uneven distribution across the surface.
Other
[edit]- Intravaginal administration
- Vaginal rings
- Capsules and tablets
- Suppositories
- Rectal administration(enteral)
- Suppositories
- Suspensions and solutions in the form ofenemas
- Gels
- Urethral
- Nasal sprays
See also
[edit]- Classification of Pharmaco-Therapeutic Referrals
- Drug delivery
- Route of administration
- Pharmaceutical packaging
References
[edit]- ^"unit dose".thefreedictionary.
- ^Affairs, Office of Regulatory."Compliance Policy Guides - CPG Sec 430.100 Unit Dose Labeling for Solid and Liquid Oral Dosage Forms".fda.gov.
- ^"Doctors 'missed' fatal overdoses".4 February 2011 – via bbc.co.uk.
- ^"Talcum Powder and Cancer".cancer.org.
- ^Davis, LL. (Dec 1983)."Pulmonary" mainline "granulomatosis: talcosis secondary to intravenous heroin abuse with characteristic x-ray findings of asbestosis".J Natl Med Assoc.75(12): 1225–8.PMC2561715.PMID6655726.
- ^Cohen, Michael R. (1 March 2013)."The danger with cutting medication patches: Institute for Safe Medication Practices".Pharmacy Today.19(3): 88.doi:10.1016/S1042-0991(15)31507-3.ISSN1042-0991.Retrieved17 May2022.
External links
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Media related toDosage formsat Wikimedia Commons- Dosage From Development
