Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Pediatrics Nursing, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

2 Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Considering the inability of neonates to swallow oral drugs in the form of solid 
tablets, the lack of appropriate dosage forms for infants, and the necessity to prepare some 
pills for neonates, the current study investigated dosage accuracy in drugs for neonates 
prepared from tablets by analyzing the concentrations of final products.
Methods: Captopril and spironolactone, oral dosage forms that are not suitable for infants, 
were chosen as the drug model for this study. Demographic characteristics of nurses providing 
medications and tablet preparation methods were documented in a random observational 
method. To determine concentrations of final solutions, 120 drug samples (60 captopril 
and 60 spironolactone samples) prepared by Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurses of the 
Children Cure and Health Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were analyzed 
using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry.
Findings: There was a significant error rate in the concentration of captopril in prepared 
solutions compared with the ordered dosage. No differences were observed in the 
demographic characteristics of the nurses and the method of preparation between the 
two drugs. The only difference related to the preparation technique was that in most 
cases (70.8%), one whole spironolactone tablet was used, whereas in around 50% of samples 
in captopril group, half or a quarter of one captopril tablet was utilized for the intended 
dosage (P = 0.009).
Conclusion: This research suggests that the use of a whole tablet instead of a divided 
tablet in the manual preparation of medication dosage forms for neonates is the most 
appropriate approach.

Keywords

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