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Most conventional (immediate release) oral drug products, such as tablets and capsules, are formulated to release the active drug immediately after oral administration. In the formulation of conventional drug products, no deliberate effort is made to modify the drug release rate. Immediate-release products generally result in relatively rapid drug absorption and onset of accompanying pharmacodynamic effects. In the case of conventional oral products containing prodrugs, the pharmacodynamic activity may be slow due to conversion to the active drug by hepatic or intestinal metabolism or by chemical hydrolysis. Alternatively, conventional oral products containing poorly soluble (lipophilic drugs), drug absorption may be gradual due to slow dissolution in or selective absorption across the GI tract, also resulting in a delayed onset time.
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The pattern of drug release from modified-release (MR) dosage forms is deliberately changed from that of a conventional (immediate-release) dosage formulation to achieve a desired therapeutic objective or better patient compliance. Types of MR drug products include delayed release (eg, enteric coated), extended release (ER), and orally disintegrating tablets (ODT).
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The term modified-release drug product is used to describe products that alter the timing and/or the rate of release of the drug substance. A modified-release dosage form is a formulation in which the drug-release characteristics of time course and/or location are chosen to accomplish therapeutic or convenience objectives not offered by conventional dosage forms such as solutions, ointments, or promptly dissolving dosage forms. Several types of modified-release oral drug products are recognized:
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Extended-release drug products. A dosage form that allows at least a twofold reduction in dosage frequency as compared to that drug presented as an immediate-release (conventional) dosage form. Examples of extended-release dosage forms include controlled-release, sustained-release, and long-acting drug products.
Delayed-release drug products. A dosage form that releases a discrete portion or portions of drug at a time other than promptly after administration. An initial portion may be released promptly after administration. Enteric-coated dosage forms are common delayed-release products (eg, enteric-coated aspririn and other NSAID products).
Targeted-release drug products. A dosage form that releases drug at or near the intended physiologic site of action (see Chapter 18). Targeted-release dosage forms may have either immediate- or extended-release characteristics.
Orally disintegrating tablets (ODT). ODT have been developed to disintegrate rapidly in the saliva after oral administration. ODT may be used without the addition of water. The drug is dispersed in saliva and swallowed with little or no water.
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The term controlled-release drug product was previously used to describe various types of oral extended-release-rate dosage forms, including sustained-release, sustained-action, prolonged-action, long-action, slow-release, and programmed drug delivery. Other terms, such as ER, SR, XL, XR, and CD, are also used to indicate an extended-release drug product. Retarded release is an older term for a slow release drug product. Many of these terms for modified-release drug products were introduced by drug companies to reflect either a special design for an extended-release drug product or ...