Weight uniformity of split tablets required by a Veterans Affairs policy.
OBJECTIVE
To split several tablet products relevant to the Veterans Affairs (VA) Maryland Healthcare System and assess whether the resulting half tablets provide equal doses.


METHODS
From a VA list of products that are required to be split, 7 products were evaluated, along with 5 other commonly split tablet products. A trained pharmacy student split tablets using a tablet splitter provided by the VA. Half tablets were assessed for weight uniformity.


RESULTS
Of the 12 products subjected to splitting, 8 products (atorvastatin, citalopram, furosemide, glipizide, metoprolol, paroxetine, sertraline, and warfarin) yielded half tablets that passed the weight-uniformity test. The 4 failing products were lisinopril, lovastatin, rofecoxib, and simvastatin. Unusual tablet shape and high tablet hardness predisposed products to failing the weight-uniformity test. The 4 failing products resulted in half tablets that were generally within 20% of their target weight range, suggesting that splitting these specific products would not result in adverse therapeutic effects due to dose variation created by tablet-splitting.


CONCLUSIONS
Split-tablet results were relatively favorable and generally support a VA practice to split specific tablets. Public quality standards for half tablets, including their content uniformity, are needed to better delineate the policies for acceptable tablet splitting.
Polli
James E
JE
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 20 North Pine St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. jpolli@rx.umaryland.edu
Kim
Sharon
S
Martin
Brian R
BR
D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008396:Maryland; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000592:standards*; D013607:Tablets / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D013607:Tablets