Capsules And Tablets Flashcards
What happens when a patient is unable to swallow an intact solid dosage form?
Chewable tablets, instant dissolving tablets, oral liquids, or suppositories are made available by changing the excipients
What are some benefits of solid dosage forms?
Medication is protected
Easier storage and transport
Promote better patient compliance (tasteless, easy to dose, capsules of certain design provide modified release)
Can capsules be filled with liquids ?
No, capsules containing liquids must be sealed (requires industrial conditions)
The liquid may be mixed with inert absorbent. Resultant solid mixture may be placed in capsules
What are capsules made from?
Stable in air, biocompatible, soluble in gi tract material
Gelatin
How is a capsule filled?
Put the empty capsule on a balance and on the other side put an empty capsule with a weight equal to what you want in the capsule, Fill the empty capsule that is by itself on the balance until the balance is level
How are enteric coated tablets administered?
They are designed to pass through the stomach for drug release and absorption in the intestine
What are extended release capsule dosage forms designed for?
They are designed to provide release of the medication.
Different dosage forms help you stay above the mec and below the mtc
In the stomach, what objects float on gastric contents? Which sink to the base of greater curvature?
Light objects float in gastric contents
Heavy objects flow to the base of greater curvature (non disintegrating)
If you take an NSAID on an empty stomach what happens?
It looks like an ulcer in your stomach
What effects gastric emptying?
Posture, time of day, pregnancy decreases it, menstrual cycle decreases it, heavy exercise increases, high fat / high caloric diets slow gastric emptying
How does gastric emptying relate to food intake?
Gastric emptying is influenced by continual intake of food.
On an empty stomach gastric emptying is very fast, it is the slowest after breakfast + snack + lunch + snack + supper at 2.5 hour intervals
When dosed before, with or after a meal , in which case is the gastric emptying slowest?
When dosed with a meal
How does time of day effect the rate of gastric emptying?
After an 8 pm meal there are more solids remaining
In the stomach after 90 minutes than if you take the drug at 8 am
What is a capsule?
A solid dosage form in which medicinal agents and/or inert substances are enclosed within a small shell of gelatin
Hard gelatin capsules are used to manufacture most of the commercially available medicated capsules. What are empty capsule shells made from?**
- Gelatin, sugar and water
- They are clear, colorless, and essentially tasteless
- most contain color ants and opaque ta to make them distinctive
What are the two parts of a hard gelatin capsule?
The base (or body) which is longer and has a see diameter
The cap is designated to slide over the base portion And form a snug seal
Can the contents of hard gelatin capsules be opened and administered in food or liquids?
Only with the concurrence of the pharmacist (not all can be, gelatin is intended to be swallowed whole)
Gelatin is soluble to what?
Hot water and warm gastric fluids
Where is gelatin digested? What happens when gelatin is dissolved?
Gelatin is a protein, therefore digested by proteolytic enzymes and absorbed when dissolved gelatin exposes its medicinal contents to the gastric (or intestinal) bodily fluids
Where is the gelatin derived from to make capsules?*
It is obtained from the partial hydrolysis of collagen obtained from ski , white connective tissue and bones Of animals
What happens to gelatin when moist?
Gelatin is stable in air but subject to microbial decomposition when moist
What is the moisture level in hard capsules?
13-16% moisture - poor storage can increase this level -> bad!
- how is moisture avoided in gelatin capsules?
Desiccant materials: dried silica, gel, clay, and activated carbon
Used to protect against absorption of atmospheric moisture
Which dosage forms are preferred? Why?
Tablets and capsules are preferred over liquids and many other dosage forms because they are conveniently carried and readily identified