Dosage Forms, Administration Routes, and Safe Use

All flashcards

What distinguishes active ingredients from excipients?

Active ingredients provide the intended therapeutic effect. Excipients are inactive components that support the product’s manufacture, stability, usability, or delivery.

How can the same drug have different dosage forms?

The same active ingredient can be prepared in different presentations and strengths—for example, amoxicillin as a 500 mg capsule or a 250 mg chewable tablet.

What is the difference between a formulation and a dosage form?

A formulation can refer to the mixture of active and inactive substances. A dosage form generally emphasizes how the product is configured for use, such as a capsule or tablet, though usage of the terms can overlap.

What is a fixed-dose combination?

A fixed-dose combination is one product, such as a tablet, capsule, or syrup, that contains more than one active ingredient.

What is a route of administration?

It is the path by which a medicine is delivered to the body, such as oral, inhaled, topical, or parenteral.

Quiz questions

1. Why might another route of administration be considered for a patient who is unconscious or experiencing persistent vomiting?Answer: Oral administration may be impractical, so another suitable route may be considered.
2. What does parenteral administration mean?Answer: Delivery by a route outside the digestive tract, commonly by injection.
3. Which forms are commonly used for injectable medicines?Answer: Solutions or suspensions.
4. Why can cutting a transdermal medicine patch to divide its dose be unsafe?Answer: The drug may not be evenly distributed, making the delivered dose unpredictable.
5. What is a potential hazard of inhaling contents from a crushed tablet?Answer: The lungs may be exposed to excipients not designed for inhalation.