Download Drug Forms

Drugs come in many different forms


Before a drug can receive final
approval by the FDA, the drug
company must clearly state in
what form or forms the drug will
be manufactured.
Drugs can seriously injure the
patient if administered in the
wrong form.
DRUG FORMS


Tablet:
A tablet is a solid
drug form that
contains an active
drug, as a dried
powder plus inert
ingredients (binders
& fillers) to provide
bulk and ensure pill
size and shape.

A scored tablet has
an indented line
across it so that it
can be easily split
in half in equal
pieces.


Capsule:
A capsule can
be a soft onepiece gelatin
shell with the
liquid drug
inside
OR a hard shell
manufactured
in two pieces
that fit together
and hold a
powdered drug
Capsuleinside

Capsule

Ointment- An

Cream- A cream is
ointment is a semisolid emulsion of oil,
lanolin or petrolatum.

Lotion- A suspension
of a drug in a water
base which also exerts
a local, not systemic
effect.
absorbed into the skin
and exert a local, not
systemic drug effect.
Ointment: greasy & clear
Creams & lotions: nongreasy, opaque, semi-liquid




Powders/Patches/Pellets
A powder is a finely ground form of
a drug. They can be found within
capsules or left in a vial to be
reconstituted with sterile water for
injection.
A pellet drug is inserted into the
body by a physician
A transdermal patch is applied to the
skin to release a small amount of the
drug over a long period of time
DRUG FORMS
Liquids
A liquid drug comes in the form of a solution or suspension. Two general words
used to describe liquid drugs are aqueous meaning water, and viscous meaning
thick.

Vials- a vial is a
small glass bottle
with an aluminum
cap and a rubber
stopper. The drug
is removed with a
syringe and needle.

Ampule- an ampule
is a small glass
container with a
main body and a
narrow top that is
snapped into two
pieces to remove
the medicine with a
syringe and needle.



Tincture-solutions that contain a drug in
water and alcohol base
Syrup- solutions that contain a drug in water
base with sugar and flavorings, but no
alcohol.
Elixir-solutions that contain the drug in water
& alcohol base with sugar & flavoring, used
often for pediatric use & those who cannot
swallow pills


A mousse or Foam is a solution
that contains a drug in a
thickened alcohol base. It is
expanded by tiny aerosol
bubbles when expelled from the
container.
A Spray is a solution that
contains the drug in a water &
alcohol solution, that is sprayed
manually by a pump into the
mouth or nose.

Emulsions are
solutions that
contain fat globules
dispersed uniformly
throughout a water
base (such as some
IV drugs)

Gels are solutions
that contain fine
undissolved
particles dispersed
throughout a
thickened water
base.
Drugs can also be
administered in the form of a
gas which can be inhaled by
the patient



Studies have shown that patients usually take
their prescribed drugs accurately only 50% of
the time.
Researchers have tried to improve this
percentage by inventing new drug forms.
Some new ideas on the horizon is an artificial
tooth that can be programmed to disperse a
drug at specific times.

Another invention in the works is a
tasteless powder that can be sprinkled
on food. This is already on the market in
the form of a weight loss supplement.
Sensa

How about a computer chip that is
surgically inserted into the body that will
receive a wireless signal to tell it when to
release a dose.
Drug Manufacturers are constantly
trying to improve the identification
of drugs to prevent patients from
getting their medications confused
with one another.