extended-release dosage
Quick Summary
Extended-release dosage forms are designed to deliver medication over an extended period, simplifying dosing schedules and maintaining therapeutic drug concentrations. Unlike immediate-release formulations that may require frequent dosing, extended-release products, such as specialized tablets and capsules, are taken less often, typically once or twice daily.1
These forms achieve sustained release through various mechanisms:
* Coatings: Enteric coatings protect the stomach from irritation and drugs from stomach acid, while other coatings on beads or granules delay drug release.1
* Matrix Systems: Drugs can be embedded in slowly eroding hydrophilic matrices or inert plastic matrices that release the medication as they break down.1
* Microencapsulation: Granules coated with polymers can control release based on coating thickness.1
* Ion Exchange Resins: Drugs can bind to resins, which then slowly release the medication in the intestine.1
The goal is to keep the drug concentration in the blood plasma within effective limits, avoiding the need for frequent doses that would be necessary if the drug had a short half-life.12
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