Expert opinion on drug delivery
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Expert Opin Drug Deliv · Aug 2013
ReviewCritical parameters in drug delivery by intravenous infusion.
Intravenous infusion is commonly used to deliver medications and fluids to patients. The duration of an infusion is short (hours) in the operating room where intravenous agents are infused to anesthetize patients and to manage circulation. Critically ill patients often receive infusions for days. Infusion technology has become increasingly sophisticated and complex. The technical advances broaden the clinical application of intravenous infusion methodology and provide safety features. ⋯ Intravenous infusion systems contribute significantly to clinical care, but in a deceptively simple way. Several critical parameters combine to influence the performance of an infusion system, with a number of pitfalls potentially confounding utility of the technology. Safe and effective clinical application of intravenous infusion technology depends on an appreciation of this complexity which impacts the performance of infusion systems.
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Expert Opin Drug Deliv · Feb 2013
ReviewAbuse-deterrent and tamper-resistant opioids: how valuable are novel formulations in thwarting non-medical use?
In recent years, attention has been given to the development of abuse-deterrent and tamper-resistant opioid formulations in light of concern over the growing misuse and abuse of opioids prescribed for the treatment of chronic pain. ⋯ Numerous concerns with the integration of these formulations into clinical practice remain, as no product is intended or capable of addressing all types of misuse or abuse. As a result, these formulations should not necessarily be considered preferred agents once available in clinical practice. Moreover, before initiating therapy with abuse-deterrent and tamper-resistant formulations, proper patient assessment to identify risk factors for misuse and abuse should be implemented and optimized. With screening and monitoring in place, it would then be sensible to consider these formulations in patients who appear to be at high risk of misuse, abuse and/or diversion.
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One of the most common strategies for pain control during and after surgical procedures is the use of local anesthetics. Prolonged analgesia can be safely achieved with drug delivery systems suitably chosen for each local anesthetic agent. ⋯ The design of novel drug delivery systems for local anesthetics must focus on how to achieve higher uploads of the anesthetic into the carrier, and how to sustain its release. This comprehensive review should be useful to provide the reader with the current state-of-art regarding drug delivery formulations for local anesthetics and their possible clinical applications.
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Expert Opin Drug Deliv · Sep 2012
ReviewClinical development of a once-daily gastroretentive formulation of gabapentin for treatment of postherpetic neuralgia: an overview.
Gabapentin immediate-release formulations (G-IR) administered three times a day is an efficacious treatment for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), but its potential benefits may not be fully realized due to tolerability issues as well as its pharmacokinetic (PK) properties such as its short half-life, and regional and saturable absorption in the proximal small intestine. The gastroretentive once-daily formulation of gabapentin (G-GR) allows for less frequent dosing while maintaining efficacy and may also reduce adverse events (AEs) associated with high plasma concentration of gabapentin occurring during the waking hours. G-GR slowly releases the drug from the tablet to the upper small intestine, where gabapentin is best absorbed, over approximately 10 h. ⋯ The technology takes advantage of the normal physiology of the stomach in the fed state to provide gastroretention, which in turn allows for gradual release of the active ingredient over several hours to the small intestine where gabapentin is best absorbed. The GR technology used in G-GR resulted in a decreased dosing frequency from three times per day for the IR product to once daily in the treatment of PHN, while maintaining the same efficacy with an apparent reduced incidence of AEs common to G-IR therapy.
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Expert Opin Drug Deliv · Aug 2012
Multicenter StudyThe recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin prefilled pen: results of patient and nurse human factors usability testing.
The first prefilled pen for administration of recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin (r-hCG) has been developed. Usability testing was undertaken to evaluate the risk of dosing errors versus the existing r-hCG prefilled syringe, and assess function and handling of the pen. ⋯ The overall risk of dosing errors was not higher with the r-hCG prefilled pen than the existing prefilled syringe. The ease-of-use of the r-hCG prefilled pen was rated favorably by patients and nurses.