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| Pharmacy compounding
is the art and science of preparing customized medications
for patients. Today, an estimated one percent of all prescriptions
are compounded daily by pharmacists working closely with physicians
and their patients. |
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The
Triad Relationship |
| Compounding
is achieved through an essential triad relationship — patient,
physician and pharmacist. The physician first prescribes the medication,
then the pharmacist takes the necessary ingredients, compounds them,
and dispenses the medicine to the patient after a thorough consultation.
This enables patients to receive the type of personalized care they
deserve and allows independent community pharmacists the opportunity
to provide superior, patient-oriented services. |
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Reasons
for Compounding |
There are several reasons why
pharmacists compound prescription medications; yet,
the most important one is patient noncompliance. Many patients are
allergic to preservatives or dyes, or are sensitive to standard drug
strengths. With a physician's prescription, a compounding pharmacist
can change the strength of a medication, alter its form to make it
easier for the patient to ingest, and add flavor to it to make it
more palatable. The pharmacist also can prepare the medication using
several unique delivery systems, such as a sublingual troche or lozenge,
a lollipop, or a transdermal gel. Or, for those patients who are having
a difficult time swallowing a capsule, a compounding pharmacist can
make a suspension instead.
Often parents have a tough time getting their children to take their
medicine because of the taste. A compounding
pharmacist can work directly with the physician and
the patient to select a flavoring agent, such as vanilla butternut
or tutti frutti, that provides both an appropriate match for the medication's
properties and the patient's taste preferences. Compounding pharmacists
also have helped patients who are experiencing chronic pain. For example,
arthritic patients who cannot take certain medications due to gastrointestinal
side effects. Working with their physician, a compounding pharmacist
can provide them with a topical preparation with the anti-inflammatory
or analgesic their doctor prescribed for them. |
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Meeting
Patient and Practitioner Needs |
| Compounders focus on meeting special needs.
This may involve compounding height/weight-appropriate pediatric medications,
injections for impotency, medications for veterinarians in a variety
of dosage forms and flavors, alternatives in hormone replacement therapy,
or dosage options, such as transdermal gels, when treating hospice
patients. The ultimate goal in preparing any of these customized medications
is to help the physician and patient achieve patient compliance. |
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