Aerosols

Question 1

What are some advantages of aerosol dosage form?

Answer 1

1. Portion of medication can be easily withdrawn w/o contamination
2. Container protects medication from atmospheric oxygen, moisture, and light
3. Packaged under aseptic conditions
4. Topical medication can be applied in uniform
5. Emitted product can control physical form and particle size
6. Application is clean process

Question 2

What are the types of aerosols?

Answer 2

1. Inhalation
2. Nasal
3. Lingual
4. Topical

Question 3

What does the product concentrate contain?

Answer 3

1. API

2. Excipients

Question 4

Describe the propellant

Answer 4

Chemical(s) w/ vapor pressure greater than atmospheric pressure at 40C

Question 5

What roles do liquefied gas (or mixture of liquefied gases) serve in aerosols?

Answer 5

Propellant + vehicle for product concentrate

Question 6

What is the general BP of liquid propellants?

Answer 6

Low

Question 7

When an aerosol container is first sealed, what is in equilibrium?

Answer 7

Propellant that is liquefied and that which vaporizes and occupies the upper portion of container

Question 8

What causes the liquid to go up the dip tube and into the atmosphere?

Answer 8

Pressure upon actuation

Question 9

What causes the liquid to evaporate as it exits the device?

Answer 9

Drop in pressure

Question 10

What is a disadvantage of compressed gas propellants?

Answer 10

Pressure in the can reduces over the lifetime of the aerosol

Question 11

The effectiveness of an aerosol device depends on what?

Answer 11

1. Formulation
2. Container
3. Valve assembly

Question 12

The pressure of an aerosol device depends on what?

Answer 12

1. Type of propellant
2. Amount of propellant
3. Nature/Amount of product concentrate

Question 13

The physical form in which the contents of an aerosol device are emitted depends on what?

Answer 13

1. Formulation

2. Type of valve

Question 14

The physical form on an aerosol device is selected based on what?

Answer 14

Intended use

Question 15

When do you employ the use of a MDI?

Answer 15

When formulation is potent

Question 16

During cold filling, what must you do with the concentrate and propellant?

Answer 16

Cool it to -34.5 to -40 C

Question 17

Because of the low temperature during cold filling, what cannot be filled by this process?

Answer 17

Aqueous systems

Question 18

What kind of filling is used for most pharmaceutical aerosols?

Answer 18

Pressure filling

Question 19

What are the advantages of pressure filling over cold filling?

Answer 19

1. Less danger of moisture contamination

2. Less propellant is lost during the process

Question 20

What is the recommended storage temperature of aerosols?

Answer 20

15 to 30 C