WEST POINT, Pa., Oct. 24, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- A new study that tested the "swallowability" of different forms of tablets and capsules showed patients can more easily take film-coated oval shaped tablets than any other commonly manufactured solid dosage forms.
The 48-patient, open-label, randomized, four-way crossover study was commissioned by Colorcon Inc., a leading provider of technology and consulting services to the world's pharmaceutical companies. Conducted by Glasgow-based Bio-Images Research Ltd., the study compared the swallowability of uncoated tablets and caplets, and soft and hard gelatin capsules, to film-coated dosages. Researchers used sophisticated nuclear medicine cameras to study medication passage from the mouth to the lower GI tract, and found that oval film-coated tablets demonstrated the fewest instances of slow transit in the esophagus (greater than 15 seconds), fewer incidences of lodging in the esophagus, and the least likelihood of causing swallowing problems.
"The study has important implications for both pharmaceutical manufacturers and patients, especially those who have swallowing difficulty," said Frederick R. Kettinger, General Manager of Colorcon's new Brand Enhancement System for Tablets (BEST(R)) service that helps pharmaceutical companies make their products more patient-friendly and resistant to medication errors.
"The results confirm that film-coating an oval-shaped dosage form improves the ease of swallowing for patients, enabling the dosage to safely and quickly pass through the esophagus, without concern about lodging and mucosal irritation. Coated oval tablets seem most likely to provide greater patient comfort, acceptance and safety, and could also lead to improved compliance, and patient preference for a medication in this form."
Forty percent of people report problems swallowing pills, according to a Harris Interactive Survey. Most describe the sensations as having "a pill stuck in their throat" (80%), having a "bad after taste in their mouth" (48%), or gagging (32%).
Seniors, in particular, have difficulty swallowing pills. Swallowing disorders in elderly Americans range between 16% and 22% (a) for ambulatory adults over age 55, and 40% or more in nursing homes (b). According to the National Institutes of Health, between 1 and 4 million Americans -- 90% women -- suffer from Sjogren's Syndrome, which makes swallowing solid dosage forms especially difficult.
For more information, visit www.colorcon.com/best.
(a) Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 82:1661-5. (b) J Am Ger. Soc. 34:192-198.