title: Weight uniformity of split tablets required by a Veterans Affairs policy.
abstract: 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.
authors: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 20 North Pine St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. jpolli@rx.umaryland.edu
authors: James E
authors: JE
authors: Polli
authors: Sharon
authors: S
authors: Kim
authors: Brian R
authors: BR
authors: Martin
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D013607:Tablets