Many adults find it challenging to swallow pills, particularly tablets, which can result in choking, gagging and vomiting. When this occurs it’s essential that one takes their pill as directed and take all required doses at the proper times.
Some individuals prefer crushing pills or open capsules and mixing them with food such as applesauce or pudding for easier swallowing, however this practice is not advised as this may alter how quickly the medicine is absorbed into their bodies.
Medications in pill form
Pill medications contain active ingredients that can be consumed orally or injected subcutaneously for immediate or extended release. Some formulations release their active components over a longer period, while others provide instantaneous relief. Other forms may include liquid and cream options.
Many people struggle with swallowing pills, sometimes leading to gagging or vomiting as a result. Unfortunately, this may result in them discontinuing taking their medication altogether and worsening their condition further. But there are techniques to make pill swallowing simpler.
Medication comes in either capsules or tablets, each offering distinct advantages over one another. For instance, capsules tend to be more durable and have longer shelf lives than tablets; furthermore, most pills feature an imprint code that helps identify them alongside factors like color and shape as part of its identification.
Medication in pill form
Pills are the go-to medication form, as they’re easy to take and readily available from both traditional pharmacies as well as over-the-counter options. Pills typically feature circular in shape with holes for ingestion; some varieties can also be administered sublingually or buccally for sublingual or buccal administration. It is important that each pill taken at its respective time. Mistaking two pills as being similar could prove dangerous; always take your prescribed pills at their designated times!
Color, shape and imprint codes of pills can help you quickly identify them. The Food and Drug Administration requires most prescription and over-the-counter medications to have an imprint code that distinguishes it from others; this may consist of letters or numbers representing drugmaker name or logos; some pills also feature scores to help with identification.
Pills refer to any solid pharmaceutical oral dosage form for medication. Deciding between pills can depend on personal preferences, cost and how the medicine affects the body.
Medications in tablet form
Tablet-form medications are created by compressing powdered medicine into solid tablets. These can come in all shapes, colors and sizes; many come coated to make swallowing easier; some can even be chewable! A tablet may even be broken in half to lower dose.
Tablets may be harder to swallow and more likely to irritate the stomach than capsules, and may take longer for your medication to work than capsules. Some tablets are specifically formulated to release medication over an extended period of time – for example Dexedrine is sold in its own spansule form for this purpose.
Certain tablets are designed to dissolving under the tongue and be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream without going through the stomach, such as nitroglycerin for chest pain relief. These buccal or sublingual tablets are known as buccal tablets; fizzy ones dissolved in water are another fast-absorbing type.
Medications in capsule form
Pill form medication may be easier for many patients to swallow and often is less costly than liquids or powders; however, some medicines may take longer to begin working than anticipated.
Capsules contain powdered or granule medications suspended within a gelatin shell. Most capsules are cylindrical in shape but oval or oblong variations exist as well as made with animal products like gelatin or plant-based materials like HPMC or pullulan; hard or soft versions can also be made, as well as having various additives like plasticizers, disintegrants, flavoring agents or preservatives added as necessary.
Tablet medications come in round or oblong shapes with scored edges that make splitting them easier, and may feature coating to keep their ingredients from breaking down in the stomach or assist swallowing (especially for older adults and children). Some time-release tablets release their ingredients gradually over a period of hours.
