Can i crush film coated tablets

Some tablets also come with a special protective layer, called an enteric coating , which is designed to stop it from breaking apart in the stomach. The coating ensures the tablet disintegrates in the small intestine instead.

If you chew an enterically coated tablet, the drug will not be absorbed properly and the medicine may be ineffective. Tablets designed to be chewed have this indicated on their packaging.

This is common for drugs designed for young children and certain types of tablets such as multivitamins. Some medicines are also specifically made into a chewable form, such as some aspirin tablets and certain antacids.

These are common medicines that may be taken on a regular basis, and by people known to have trouble swallowing tablets. A warning sticker may be placed on the box by the pharmacist when she dispenses the medicine, or the instructions on the back of the box will state that the medicine should not be crushed.

Film-coated Note: active ingredients are surrounded by wax matrix to prevent healthcare exposure; women who are, or may become, pregnant should not handle crushed or broken tablet. Empty contents into a spoon for administration. Do not swallow the capsule. Do not chew or crush the contents of the capsule. Mucous membrane irritant; Note: accidentally opened or damaged capsules require rigorous precautions to avoid inhalation or contact with the skin or mucous membranes i.

Slow-release; Note: crushing, chewing, or dissolving capsules can cause rapid release and absorption of a potentially fatal dose. Note: irritant; avoid contact with skin or mucous membranes; avoid contact with crushed or broken tablets.

Add to cart. AcipHex rabeprazole Tablet Slow-release AcipHex Sprinkle rabeprazole Capsule Slow-release; Note: contents are intended to be sprinkled on food or liquid but should not be chewed or crushed.

Acticlate doxycycline hyclate Capsule; Tablet Film-coated; tablet is scored and may be split; Note: mg tablets can be broken into two-thirds or one-third to provide a mg and 50 mg strength, respectively Actiq fenta NYL Lozenge Slow-release; Note: this lollipop delivery system requires the patient to slowly allow dissolution.

Actonel risedronate Tablet Irritant; Note: chewed, crushed, or sucked tablets may cause oropharyngeal ulceration. Updated July 18, Dysphagia management and research in an acute-care military treatment facility: the role of applied informatics. Military Med. Medline Plus. Updated August 23, ,. Kaufman MB. To crush or not to crush. The Hospitalist. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth.

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I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Pills You Cannot Crush. How to Crush Pills. What Not to Do. Other Considerations. Recap Not all pills can be crushed. Strategies to Make Pill Swallowing Easier.

Recap Crushing a pill is only half of the issue. Frequently Asked Questions What happens if you chew a pill? Can you crush acetaminophen?

Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Sugar or film coating — surrounds the tablet normally to make it taste better or easier to swallow. Crushing these types of tablets may make them to taste very unpleasant.

Enteric coating — tablets with an enteric coating should never be crushed. These enteric coatings are placed around a drug to protect the drug from the acid environment, protect the stomach from the drug or deliver the drug to the site of action. If a modified release preparation is damaged then the whole dose can be released too quickly in the body, this will mean you will receive a very high dose and be more likely to experience side effects.

Do not crush your tablets or open capsules unless a Pharmacist or Doctor has advised you that it is safe and appropriate to do so. Strachan I, Greener M. Medication related swallowing difficulties may be more common than we realise. Pharmacy in Practice, December 2.