Information for patients or parents of children who can't swallow tablets
How does my tablet work?
Single Dose
Some drugs, such as painkillers, only need to be taken once for them to work. The graph below shows what the amount of drug in the body will look like. You can see that there will be a short time when side effects are more likely. This is when there is the maximum amount of the drug in the body.
Multiple Dosages
As the graph below shows, some drugs, such as digoxin, need to be taken for a few days before the amount in the body is sufficient for it to work.
You can see that the amount of drug in the body gradually builds up until it reaches the point at which it will be able to work properly.
If drugs are taken more than once in a day then as well as being more likely to forget to take them, you will experience more 'peaks' ie times when side effects are more likely.
The graph shows what the amount of drug in the body looks like when you take your medicine 4 times a day. You can see that there are 4 peaks that would occur after each time you took the medicine.
Extended Release Formulations
By giving drugs in extended release formulations ie once or twice a day, not only is it easier to remember to take them, but you are also less likely to suffer side effects.
You can see on the graph that there are no sharp peaks and the amount of drug in the body does not go above the point at which side effects are likely.
Other links in this section:
- Find out what your tablet contains.
- Learn more about tablet and capsule
coatings and how they affect the action of the medicine.
- Check which tablets and capsules
should not be crushed or opened and why.
- Advice on what to do if you are
having difficulty taking your medicine.
- Comprehensive list of liquid and non-oral alternatives to tablet or capsule formulations.
