Aural Route Flashcards
What are the drug treatments for aural?
Antibiotics Anti-inflammatories Antiseptics Cleansing solutions (less common now) Wax softeners
What are the dosage forms?
Drops
Sprays
Washes
Describe ear drops
Topically
Either in solution or suspension in suitable vehicle
What is cons of ear drops?
Some vehicles (eg. Alcohol) may cause stinging
Oil based preparations may need to be pre-warmed
Products can contain oil - eg. peanut oil
Why do oil preparations need to be pre-warmed?
Increase effectiveness
Describe ear wax
Normal body secretion
Mostly lipophilic
What is the function of ear wax?
Provides protective film on meatal skin
When is ear wax removed?
Only if causes deafness or interferes with view of ear drum
What do cerumenolytics do?
Soften cerumen + lubricate canal = facilitate ear wax remove from ear canal
What are examples of cerumenolytics?
Olive or almond oil drops
Sodium bicarbonate ear drops
What is otitis externa?
Inflammatory reaction of meatal skin caused by bacteria or fungus
How can otitis externa be treated?
Many cases recover after cleansing by suction or dry mopping
What can be used if otitis externa permits?
Corticosteroids ear drops
Astringent solution
Acetic acid solution
What are astringent preparations?
Substances that cause shrinking or construction of body tissues
How are astringent preparations applied?
Locally after topical medicinal application
What is an example of an astringent preparation?
Aluminium acetate ear drops (13%)
Describe corticosteroid preparations
Formulated in combo with anti-infective drugs
What is an example of corticosteroid preparation?
Otomize ear spray
What does acetic acid preparation treat?
2% locally
Otitis externa
What are the activities of acetic acid preparations?
Antibacterial + antifungal
What are acetic acid preparations active against?
Haemophilus + pseudomonas species
Candida + trichomonas
What is the shelf life of acetic acid preparations?
18 months
But what is acetic acid preparation’s shelf life once opened?
1 month
