Administration of oral solid pharmaceutical forms through enteral feeding tubes at a university hospital in southern Brazil

Abstract

Besides enteral tubes are used for administration of enteral feeding, they are also alternative ways to manage drugs in patients with impaired swallowing. When the drug is not available in the oral liquid form, the extemporaneous preparations from solid oral dosage forms (SODF) function as alternative means. This study aimed to analyze the standardized solid oral dosage forms at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA) that are at risk of obstruction and pharmacokinetics alterations when administered via probe, and the feasibility of carrying out extemporaneous preparations. The SODF in the Selection of Medications were included. 222 medications - from which, 20.3 % were at risk of obstructing the probe, and 16.7 % could present pharmacokinetic changes – were assessed. It has been noted that it is possible to perform the oral extemporaneous preparation at 46 %, concerning the SODF surveyed. In order to avoid problems in the administration of medications through feeding tubes, this study promoted the development of an administration guide.