Drug Products That Appear In The Stool Of Patients

Abstract

Some medications are extended release products because they release the drug slowly in the body. Some extended release products are designed to leave behind an undissolved portion, which is excreted in the patient’s stool. There is no comprehensive list in medical literature that states what medications have this design, so it’s difficult for medical professionals to advise their patients. Develop a comprehensive list of medications that are known to appear in the stool. Confirm the lack of complete dissolution of the product in laboratory experiments and photograph the undissolved portion. A literature search was conducted to find these medications, starting with a “Do Not Crush” list and then looking up prescribing and consumer information for each drug product. Dissolution testing was performed where drug products were added to 1.75 L of water and allowed to dissolve with stirring for 48 hours. A total of 29 medications were found in the literature search. Of these, 13 are osmotic products, 6 were wax matrix products, and 10 are products with other types of release mechanisms. In the lab experiments, only two products from the list were available to be tested. One product left an undissolved portion after dissolution and one did not. A comprehensive list of medications that appear in the stool was created for medical professionals to use when advising patients. The pictures from the lab experiments can be used for patient education.