The study did not receive specific grants from any funding source. The researchers found that the dose potentially given to patients when tablets were split could deviate from the recommended dose by at least 15%, and sometimes by more than 25%. 1 Writing a prescription for a higher dose and instructing the patient to cut the pill in half can lower costs. Your doctor will prescribe a higher dose of medication, often double. Tablets of the brand-name drug Synthroid are scored, but this is considered a dose-critical drug. By using volunteers from their department rather than nurses, they are unable to say that nurses in a nursing home environment would have performed the splitting in the same way or with the same results. They say that pharmacists should give clear messages about the risks related to splitting. He didn’t realize that cutting the tablets exposed the medication to oxygen. The authors acknowledge some drawbacks to their study: Overall, this study has been carefully conducted and analysed, adding some quantifiable data to the concerns about splitting tablets. Don't use a knife or scissors to cut your pills in half. Because oxygen degraded the exposed surfaces of the tablets, they were no longer as potent as prescribed. Pros of pill splitting. Five academic volunteers split tablets into halves or quarters using three routinely used, accepted methods. Pharmacists are MUCH more knowledgable about these kinds of things than doctors, so go to your local pharmacy and ask them if you can cut the 1000mg dose in half. Don't use a knife or scissors to cut your pills in half. Finally, they suggest that manufacturers could avoid the need for splitting by introducing a wider range of tablet doses or liquid formulations. If a pill has any of these features, don’t try to cut it in half: A hard outer coat: Splitting a coated pill can make it harder to swallow and may change the way your body absorbs the medicine. - Lung cancer. Lower costs for patients. Tablet-splitting is not always a bad choice. Purchase a proper pill cutter that has a cover and a V-shaped pill grip that holds the pill securely in place. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Pill splitting allows the consumer to buy two doses of medicine for the cost of one dose - the equivalent to getting two months of medications for the price of one. They recommend the use of a splitting device as routine method when splitting cannot be avoided. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An FDA study found that the thyroid drug levothyroxine should not be cut even when tablets are scored (AAPS PharmSciTech, Sept., 2010). Patients currently sometimes require a dose of medication that can only be provided through splitting a tablet. Our hearts are so sensitive to any chemical change I can easily see that an unevenly split pill could have some unexpected results, i.e. What a wonderful ‘reminder’ article on pill splitting. How does pill splitting work? You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. The deviations from the expected weight of the tablet parts were: The differences between method one and methods two or three were statistically significant. They split tablets that were round or oblong, flat or not, scored or not. Five volunteers were asked to split eight tablets of different sizes and shapes using three different routine methods. when i asked the doctor he said, that i should never do that, because even if i was cutting the 1000mg medicine in half, i was still taking 1000mg but in a smaller dosage..and just … They also want drug firms to produce a range of options, including smaller or bigger dose tablets, so that splitting becomes unnecessary. The study was carried out by researchers from the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences at Ghent University in Belgium. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps.
Zoom Webinar Registration Page Examples, Best Online Paralegal Certificate Program, Kerastase Discipline Mask Instructions, Royer R-122v Review, Clinical Pharmacist Certification, Sennheiser G4 Mic, Flat Sea Creature Name, Introducing Psychology 4th Edition Online, Ornamental Olive Tree For Sale, 14 Gauge Metal Shears, Apple Core Values,