Which medication should not be chewed, broken or crushed before eating?

Question: Which medication should not be chewed, broken or crushed before eating?

Answer: There are five different types of drugs that should not be chewed, broken or crushed before eating.

(1)        Extended-Release product also include in the form of controlled-release, modified-release. Often be identified by CR, MR, XL or SR after the trade name of the drug, such as Adalat CR, Diamicron MR, Xatral XL, Isoptin SR, etc.

(2)        Enteric coated product, including medications that irritate the stomach or the intestines, such as aspirin.

(3)        Sugar coated product. Most drugs of this type have bad taste.

It must be coated by sugar to cover the flavor of medicine.

(4)        Sublingual product administered sublingually.

(5)        Effervescent product. If it is broken or crushed before dissolving in water, it may affect the capability of water solubility of the drug.

Reference:

Drug information handbook 10^th anniversary edition, 2