Prevalence of tablet splitting in a Brazilian tertiary care hospital
| Autor: | Gessyka Rayana S Pereira, Vivianne Vieira de Melo, Stephania F. Taveira, Amanda Queiroz Soares, Marcilio Cunha-Filho, Izabel Cristina Rodrigues da Silva, Ricardo Neves Marreto |
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| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Tablet splitting
Cross-sectional study Pharmaceutical Science Dentistry cross-sectional studies lcsh:RS1-441 Pharmacy 030226 pharmacology & pharmacy inpatients 0302 clinical medicine Drug Stability mesh:Brazil mesh:Drug Prescriptions Prevalence Medicine Medication Errors mesh:Reproducibility of Results Original Research tablets Tertiary care hospital Hospital care brazil mesh:Prevalence Brazil Tablets mesh:Tablets Drug Industry Hospital unit prevalence drug industry mesh:Medication Errors Drug Prescriptions lcsh:Pharmacy and materia medica 03 medical and health sciences Mass variation drug stability Medical prescription Drug industry mesh:Inpatients Inpatients mesh:Drug Stability business.industry mesh:Drug Industry lcsh:RM1-950 Reproducibility of Results drug prescriptions medication errors lcsh:Therapeutics. Pharmacology Cross-Sectional Studies mesh:Cross-Sectional Studies reproducibility of results business |
| Zdroj: | Pharmacy Practice (Granada) v.18 n.2 2020 SciELO España. Revistas Científicas Españolas de Ciencias de la Salud instname Pharmacy Practice Pharmacy Practice, Vol 18, Iss 2, p 1910 (2020) SciELO España: Revistas Científicas Españolas de Ciencias de la Salud Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) |
| Popis: | Background: Although a highly common practice in hospital care, tablet splitting can cause dose variation and reduce drug stability, both of which impair drug therapy. Objective: To determine the overall prevalence of tablet splitting in hospital care as evidence supporting the rational prescription of split tablets in hospitals. Methods: Data collected from inpatients’ prescriptions were analyzed using descriptive statistics and used to calculate the overall prevalence of tablet splitting and the percentage of split tablets that had at least one lower-strength tablet available on the market. The associations between the overall prevalence and gender, age, and hospital unit of patients were also assessed. The results of laboratory tests, performed with a commercial splitter, allowed the calculation of the mass loss, mass variation, and friability of the split tablets. Results: The overall prevalence of tablet splitting was 4.5%, and 78.5% of tablets prescribed to be split had at least one lower-strength tablet on the market. The prevalence of tablet splitting was significantly associated with the patient’s age and hospital unit. Laboratory tests revealed mean values of mass loss and variation of 8.7% (SD 1.8) and 11.7% (SD 2.3), respectively, both of which were significantly affected by the presence of coating and scoreline. Data from laboratory tests indicated that the quality of 12 of the 14 tablets deviated in at least one parameter examined. Conclusions: The high percentage of unnecessary tablet splitting suggests that more regular, rational updates of the hospital’s list of standard medicines are needed. Also, inappropriate splitting behavior suggests the need to develop tablets with functional scores. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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