An Alternative Approach to Tablet Splitting and Grinding for Medication Administration.

Tablet formulations fail to meet the needs of patients unable to swallow tablets such as pediatric, elderly, and patients that must receive medications via feeding tubes. Our objective was to develop and test a new, simple device (XTEMP-R) and the methodology for converting tablets into a homogeneous suspension for medication administration. We developed a new device comprised of a flexible receptacle, a tight-fitting cap, and a suction cup bottom to convert tablets into liquid preparations.

Stable, compounded bedaquiline suspensions to support practical implementation of pediatric dosing in the field.

Bedaquiline (BDQ) tablets are indicated as part of a combination regimen for the treatment of multidrug-resistant TB in adults, adolescents and children. A dispersible tablet formulation is now approved but is not currently available in all settings. The aim of this study was to develop stable extemporaneous liquid formulations of BDQ that can be stored at room temperature or 30°C for several weeks, to support pragmatic pediatric dosing in the field and reduce wastage.

Medication Incidents Involving Antiepileptic Drugs in Canadian Hospitals: A Multi-Incident Analysis.

Medication errors involving antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are not well studied but have the potential to cause significant harm. We investigated the occurrence of medication incidents in Canadian hospitals that involve AEDs, their severity and contributing factors by analyzing data from two national databases. Our multi-incident analysis revealed that while medication errors were rarely fatal, errors do occur of which some are serious.

Avoiding Medication Errors: Reducing Harm in Residents Using Oral Anticoagulants.

Medication errors involving oral anticoagulants have led to serious adverse events, including hemorrhage, treatment failures leading to thromboembolic events, and death. This article will highlight medication errors that may arise during the use of oral anticoagulants and provide risk-reduction strategies to address the potential for error and patient harm.

Reducing patient harm with the use of opioid oral solutions.

Medication errors involving oral opioids have led to serious adverse events, including failure to control pain, over-sedation, respiratory depression, seizures, and death. This article will highlight medication errors that may arise during the use of opioid oral solutions, particularly concentrated formulations, and provide risk-reduction recommendations to address the potential for error and patient harm.

Getting to the root of medication errors.

Are you following best practices to prevent errors? Is your facility doing all it should? Read these revealing survey responses for answers.

Reducing the risk of medication errors in women.

We outline some of the causes of medication errors involving women and recommend ways that healthcare practitioners can prevent some of these errors. Patient safety has become a major concern since the November 1999 release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, "To Err Is Human." Errors involving prescription medications are responsible for up to 7000 American deaths per year, and the financial costs of drug-related morbidity and mortality may be nearly $77 billion a year.

Findings from the ISMP Medication Safety Self-Assessment for hospitals.

Background: Hospital medication practices should be assessed, awareness of the characteristics of a safe medication system heightened, and baseline data to identify national priorities established.

Design: A cross-sectional survey of U.S.