Medication administration and management

Patients with swallowing difficulties or clinical dysphagia present a particular challenge in terms of medication administration and management as:

• Therapeutic outcomes may be compromised in patients not adhering to their prescribed medication
• Tablets or capsules may cause choking and could obstruct the airway
• There may be an increased risk of a solid tablet or capsule becoming stuck in the patient’s throat or oesophagus, resulting in the drug being dispersed incorrectly which could affect the drug’s efficacy and / or tolerability
• Altering the formulation of a medicine e.g. by crushing a tablet to make it easier to take has significant medical and legal implications, as well as potentially causing adverse drug reactions (ADRs)