Crushing and Altering Medication

Crushing and Altering Medication

A medication may be crushed or altered with professional approval ( see #1 through 3) to enhance swallowing or taste, but never to disguise or “slip” it to the consumer’s food or drink without their knowledge.

Include written documentation in the consumer’s required notes of the medication is to be crushed or altered, including:

1. A prescriber/physician’s order specifying the name and dosage of the medication to be crushed.

2. Verification of consultation with a pharmacist or prescriber/physician that
the medication can be safely crushed, identification of foods and liquids
that can be mixed with the medication, and instructions for crushing or
mixing the medication is required.

3. A form consenting to crushing the medication signed by the authorized Representative/guardian or the consumer in some cases.

In addition:

Some over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can be cut, crushed, chewed, opened, or dissolved prior to taking them. But other specific dosage forms of medicines must be swallowed whole and are not safe to cut, crush, chew, or dissolve.

These medicines are designed to release an even amount of medicine over a specific period of time in the body. Or, they may have a specially designed coating to prevent stomach irritation. Some lozenges or effervescent tablets are intended to be dissolved in a specific amount of liquid or to be dissolved slowly in the mouth. Medicine that is not meant to be cut, crushed, chewed, or altered may cause harm if it is not taken exactly as instructed on the label. Doing so can affect the way the medicine works and how quickly the medicine is released and absorbed.

Crushing, chewing, or dissolving these tablets also increases the risk of adverse reactions. Injury can range from minor to severe, depending on the type of medicine ingested. Severe injuries are often related to rapid release and absorption of the medicine.

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