VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts
What You Need to Know About Compounding Veterinary Medication with Dr. Natalie Young | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts
Mon Jul 17 2023compounding medicationsveterinary medicineUSP guidelinestransdermal medicationsformulation stabilitymedication handling
Description
The episode covers the importance of compounding medications in veterinary medicine, including regulations, safety considerations, and the role of USP guidelines. It also discusses transdermal medications, formulation stability, and proper handling and disposal of medications.
Insights
Compounding medications play a crucial role in veterinary medicine
Compounded drugs are essential for flavored or difficult-to-administer medications in animals. Understanding their safety and efficacy is important before prescribing them.
Transdermal medications can be a convenient option for cats
Not all drugs are suitable for transdermal administration, but methimazole, mirtazapine, and gabapentin (with caution) are recommended options.
Proper handling and disposal of medications is crucial
Expired medications should be discarded, even if they still seem to work. Veterinarians should pay attention to expiration dates and avoid keeping expired medications on the shelf.
Chapters
- Introduction to Compounding Medications in Veterinary Medicine
- Importance of USP Guidelines and Transdermal Medications
- Considerations in Compounding Medications and Formulation Stability
- Proper Handling and Disposal of Medications
Summary
Transcript
Introduction to Compounding Medications in Veterinary Medicine
00:01 - 07:50
- Vectoral offers free access to webinars and resources for 14 days without needing a credit card.
- Dr. Natalie Young is a veterinary pharmacist with expertise in drug interaction and pharmacology.
- Compounding regulations vary by location, so it's important to know the laws in your area.
- Compounding medications play a crucial role in veterinary medicine, especially for flavored or difficult-to-administer drugs.
- Understanding the safety and efficacy of compounded drugs is essential before prescribing them.
- The source of the formulation and adherence to rules and regulations are important in compounding.
- USP (United States Pharmacopeia) sets standards for medication quality, including compounds for animals.
- Pharmacists consider multiple factors before determining if compounding is appropriate for a patient.
- Choosing a compounding pharmacist with veterinary education is important for understanding species-specific needs.
Importance of USP Guidelines and Transdermal Medications
07:30 - 14:47
- Understanding the importance of USP (United States Pharmacopeia) is vital for veterinary professionals.
- USP provides guidelines and recommendations for medication use, including routes of administration.
- Mixing medications without considering their stability can lead to harm in patients.
- Transdermal medications can be a convenient option for cats, but not all drugs are suitable for transdermal administration.
- Recommended transdermal options include methimazole, mirtazapine, and gabapentin (with caution).
- Drugs to avoid in transdermal form include antibiotics, cytotoxic medications, photosensitizing agents, and those that exert their effect on the GI tract.
- Medications requiring a dose greater than 25 milligrams may not work effectively as transdermals due to limited absorption capacity.
- Prednisolone should be used cautiously as a last resort due to potential cartilage atrophy.
- Pitagrill is an irritating medication that should not be used as a transdermal.
- Narrow therapeutic index drugs may have unpredictable absorption when administered transdermally.
Considerations in Compounding Medications and Formulation Stability
14:21 - 21:40
- Drugs can be powerful and it's important to understand their mechanism of action and potential interactions.
- FDA prioritizes the use of federally approved products over compounded medications.
- Compounding should only be done when there is a legitimate need, such as for large breed dogs or when manipulating dosage forms.
- Formulation stability is important, with most compounds having an expiration date of no more than six months.
- Bioavailability of compounded suspensions can vary, so it's crucial to use the appropriate base product.
- Oil-based formulations should be avoided in patients at risk of aspiration.
- Some tetracyclines may become nephrotoxic after their expiration date.
Proper Handling and Disposal of Medications
21:18 - 23:34
- Tetracyclines like doxycycline should be paid attention to for expiration dates and thrown out if expired.
- Combining chemicals in medications can cause them to go bad, especially when introducing water.
- Expired medications should be discarded, even if they still seem to work.
- Veterinarians are often guilty of keeping expired medications on the shelf.
- Pharmacology review is important and appreciated in veterinary medicine.