A Safe Way to Administer Drugs Through a Nutrition Tube-The Simple Suspension Method.
Kenjiro Kunieda, Naomi Kurata, Yuki Yoshimatsu and 3 others
PMID 33719015WHAT IT FOUND
Suspending whole tablets in warm water allowed 91.6% to pass through feeding tubes, compared with 57.4% for crushing.
This method reduces tube blockages and drug loss, offering a safer alternative for patients with dysphagia who cannot swallow pills.
Key findings
0191.6% of tablets tested disintegrated and passed through tubes using the simple suspension method, versus 57.4% using the crushing method.
0283.1% of capsules passed through tubes using the simple suspension method, compared with 63.0% when decapsulated.
03The simple suspension method reduces the risk of tube clogging and drug loss, and lowers exposure to hazardous drug dust for healthcare professionals.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in Japan, so the availability and formulation of drugs may differ in other countries. Single-unit enteric-coated and sustained-release tablets were excluded from SSM testing if they could not be cracked, limiting its applicability to these specific formulations. The stability of drugs suspended in water at 55°C was not chemically analyzed, though no adverse events were reported in clinical settings. This is an in vitro study; it did not test patient outcomes, tube blockage rates in living patients, or long-term clinical efficacy.
Declared interests
The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hamamatsu City Rehabilitation Hospital. No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this method works for all medications. Enteric-coated and sustained-release tablets that cannot be cracked are not suitable for this suspension method. Always check the specific drug's stability and administration guidelines before using SSM.