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Who does compounding help?

What does compounding help?

Contemporary Dosage Forms

Westchase Specialty Pharmacy compounds high-quality customized medicine in numerous forms, sizes, even flavors.  The choice of which dosage form will best fit you will be based on the conversation the pharmacist has with you and your prescriber.  Many of the dosage forms described can be seen in pictures on this page, but additional dosage forms may be seen by clicking on the links below.

Troches (pronounced “tro-keys”) are lozenges that are allowed to dissolve in the mouth.  They are placed either inside the cheek or under the tongue.  They can be made in virtually any shape, size, and flavor to encourage the patient to use the medication as prescribed. 

In the picture at right, a set of purple, grape-flavored, square-shaped troches can be seen in their case.  Below right, a heart-shaped troche is shown.

See the Important Flavoring Note, at left! 

Transdermal creams and gels are applied topically, similar to other creams and lotions, but because of the ingredients in the transdermal preparation, the medication is delivered through the skin and into the body.  To allow the patient to measure a specific dose, creams and gels are often dispensed in syringes (without a needle).  The patient uses the markings on the barrel to measure the exact dose.  Alternatively, gels can be dispensed in bottles.  Both methods of dispensing can be seen in the picture above this paragraph.
 

Any drug can be made into a liquid preparation for oral or topical applications.  Oral liquids are especially helpful for pediatric and veterinary patients, since the medication can be made in a concentrated formula that allows a smaller amount of liquid to be given with each dose.  Flavoring the oral liquid is a fine art and an important step that allows the patient to be involved with his or her own care.  Liquids are dispensed in familiar prescription bottles, but special caps can be attached to allow for exact volumes to be measured out using an oral syringe (without a needle), as shown here.

Once the exact dose is measured in a syringe, it can be squirted into a Medicine Delivery Pacifier, seen in the picture below. As the infant sucks on the pacifier, the medicine is drawn from the reservoir and into the mouth through two holes in the nipple of the pacifier.

Medicine…in a lollipop?  This unique dosage form is utilized for many medications and patient populations, not just children.  In some cases, the lollipop can be used to deliver medication topically inside the mouth on an as-needed basis, such as for pain treatment or as a numbing agent.  In other cases, the patient will be asked to finish the lollipop to receive a full dose.

Also shown in this picture are a medicated popsicle and a heart-shaped troche.

Effervescent powders are packets of flavored, medicated powder that “fizz” when added to water.  The patient places all the powder from one packet into water, and the bubbles that are formed (plus the flavoring agents) help to cover the taste of the medicine.  This dosage form is ideal for children and those who have trouble swallowing tablets.  Click here to see a picture of an effervescent powder at work!

Creams, lotions, and gels are familiar topical applications, but they can also be compounded into other forms, such as sticks (like a deodorant stick), pumps, and sprays.

Rapid dissolve tablets (click for photo) and tablet triturates (click for photo) can be helpful for patients who have difficulty swallowing: both of these dosage forms dissolve instantly when placed in the mouth. 

Suppositories (click for photo) can be an effective dosage form for delivering medication to patients who can’t swallow medication (for example, patients with nausea and vomiting) or to deliver medication to the site of need (for example, rectal hemorrhoids, vaginal dryness, or urethral cancer).  Suppositories are specially designed in different shapes and sizes to minimize discomfort.

Some medications are administered to patients in a manner that require them to be sterile, such as injectable medications or ophthalmic (eye) applications.  Sterile preparations MUST be created by trained compounders in a specific, dedicated space that meets strict environmental standards set by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and state board of pharmacy.  Rigorous cleaning procedures, environmental monitoring, and product testing are crucial and strictly adhered to at Westchase Specialty Pharmacy.

Who Does Compounding Help?

Just a few examples....

• Children, from neonates to adolescents
• Veterinary patients, from gerbils to birds, from horses to elephants
• Patients on multiple medications
• Patients requiring specific doses of medications that are not commercially available
• Patients with allergies or intolerances to chemicals, dyes, fragrances, and other non-active ingredients
• Medications currently or temporarily unavailable from manufacturers
• Patients who need an alternative to swallowing tablets and capsules

What Does Compounding Help?

• Pain management
• Dental applications: before, during, and after dental procedures
• Wound care
• Nausea and vomiting: morning sickness, motion sickness, etc.
• Human - Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, including "female" and "male" hormones and thyroid hormones
  
• Podiatric (foot) care, including nail fungus
• Warts
• Dermatologic (skin) conditions
  

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