Nurses please confirm my thoughts

Tinkerbell · 28 Jun 22, 03:58 PM

You can't halve a tablet with no dividing line... Or has that changed ?

Dinglebert · 28 Jun 22, 04:31 PM

Not changed. In theory you could but it would depend on the tablet. You would need a pharmacist to say OK to a specific tablet.

welshmum · 28 Jun 22, 05:14 PM

I never have but others I've known have used a tablet cutter...I just don't think it's right because you never know how much of the tablet the patient would receive.

**sha9** · 28 Jun 22, 05:19 PM

We used to use a tablet cutter in the old days but I think it�s discouraged now unless it has a line for the reasons stated above.

Dinglebert · 28 Jun 22, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by welshmum

I never have but others I've known have used a tablet cutter...I just don't think it's right because you never know how much of the tablet the patient would receive.

The issue is't that you can't cut it in half it is that not all medication is distributed evenly within the tablet. Some of the tablet may have a longer distribution that other parts of the whole. Therefore you lose the benefit of the medication if you miss part of it.

Tinkerbell · 28 Jun 22, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Dinglebert

The issue is't that you can't cut it in half it is that not all medication is distributed evenly within the tablet. Some of the tablet may have a longer distribution that other parts of the whole. Therefore you lose the benefit of the medication if you miss part of it.

Yep. That's what I was taught...back to GP In the morning 🤦🏼

Edie ray · 28 Jun 22, 06:01 PM

My husband recently had a heart attack and he is now on a lot of tablets

He has low blood pressure so they are trying to adjust his tablets

He has been told to get a cutter and cut one of the tablets in half, it has no split down the middle

Tinkerbell · 28 Jun 22, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Edie ray

My husband recently had a heart attack and he is now on a lot of tablets

He has low blood pressure so they are trying to adjust his tablets

He has been told to get a cutter and cut one of the tablets in half, it has no split down the middle

It is dependant on the tablet. I just remember as a rule as you only halved a tablet with a mark. I'm going to confirm with my Family Dr in the morning 🙄

Dinglebert · 28 Jun 22, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by Edie ray

My husband recently had a heart attack and he is now on a lot of tablets

He has low blood pressure so they are trying to adjust his tablets

He has been told to get a cutter and cut one of the tablets in half, it has no split down the middle

And if that advice has been given by his health care team that perfectly OK. The issue is only with certain tablets.

Sorry this cut and paste is American so filled with non UK names of medication but you will get the idea

Here are the types of medications that should NOT be split in half:

Extended release or controlled release medications

Medications such as Tylenol, Lyrica, and Tramadol are extended release medications, meaning they are formulated to be slowly released into the blood stream. When these types of medications are split in half, the formula of the medication is altered, causing the medication to not be properly released and potentially causing unwanted side effects.

Enteric or protective coated medications

Common medications that are enteric or protectively coated are Asprin, Advil, Bisacodyl, and Diclofenac. The coating in these medications provides a protective barrier for the stomach lining. If a medication of this classification gets cut in half or broken, the coating which protects the stomach lining is also broken, causing the medication to irritate the stomach.

Medications formulated for oral use such a lozenge

If medications such as Zofran, Clonazepam, or vitamin b12 supplements are split, they will not be absorbed correctly under the tongue, causing the individual taking the medication to not receive the appropriate dose.