In daily care, patients often have doubts about how to take medications. As a doctor, I often share with patients how to take different drug forms and precautions to ensure that patients use drugs correctly and safely to improve the treatment effect. Today, I would like to share the importance of choosing a drug dosage form and taking it correctly through a real-life interactive story with a patient. One day, a dad named Xiao Ming brought him to my clinic. Xiao Ming was holding a pack of medicine with an uneasy face, and his father said anxiously: "Doctor, my son is sick, how should I give him these medicines?" I took the medicine, looked at it carefully, smiled and said, "Don't worry, let's take a look at the dosage form and how to take these medicines." "Xiao Ming's father took out some granules and a bottle of oral liquid, they had never been exposed to this type of medicine before. I explained: "Granules need to be dissolved in water before taking them, while oral liquids can be measured directly with a medical spoon and taken. Seeing their doubts, I continued to explain: "For Xiao Ming's age, oral liquid may be easier to take, but make sure the dosage is correct and not exceed the doctor's instructions.
Introduce the different drug dosage forms and their characteristics
1. Feature: Solid form, easy to store and carry
2. For example: such as ibuprofen tablets, aspirin tablets, etc., are commonly used in antipyretic and analgesic drugs.
- Capsules
- Features: The drug is encapsulated and easy to swallow
2. Examples: such as vitamin capsules, antibiotic capsules, etc., are often used for drugs that require a sustained-release effect.
C. Granules
1. Features: It is granular, and needs to be mixed with water before consumption
2. For example, Banlan root granules, heat clearing and detoxification granules, etc., are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine preparations.
D. Oral solution
1. Features: Liquid, easy to take, suitable
How to take each dosage form and precautions
I. Tablets
A. Directions:
1. Take with water.
B. Notes:
1. Do not chew and avoid taking with lots of water.
II. Capsule A. Directions:1. Swallow whole, do not chew.
B. Notes:
1. Take it with drinking water, not with acidic drinks.
III. Granules
A. Directions:1. Dissolve in water as directed by your doctor, stir well and take it.
B. Notes:1. Read the instructions before taking the medicine to avoid adverse reactions such as allergies.
IV. Oral solution
A. Directions:1. Directly measure the liquid medicine and take it orally with a medical spoon.
B. Notes:1. Children should be supervised by an adult to avoid overdose.
Suitable for
A. Tablets: Suitable for adults and some older children. Adults can swallow tablets more easily and understand the correct way to take them. For older children, such as those over 8 years of age, they are usually able to accommodate the need to swallow tablets as well. B. Capsules: suitable for adults, children with good swallowing ability. Adults can usually swallow capsules easily and are able to understand how capsules are taken. Children can also take capsules if they have sufficient ability to swallow. C. Granules: suitable for children and adults. Since granules usually need to be dissolved in water, smaller children can take them more easily. However, for children, it is important to ensure that they understand the correct dosage and how to take it, and that they do it under the supervision of an adult. D. Oral liquid: suitable for children, the elderly and those with difficulty swallowing. Oral liquids are easy to swallow and therefore ideal for patients who are younger or have a poor ability to swallow. Older people also often prefer oral liquids because they are easier to swallow than other dosage forms.