Advertisement

The researchers studied users who had to split the common muscle relaxant Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine; not available in SA) into two 5-milligram portions. Generic versions of the drug aren't scored - meaning they're not produced with a dividing line that makes them easier to split. When users sometimes took too much of the medication as a result, they were at increased risk of side effects such as excessive drowsiness and fatigue, the researchers found.

They issued a statement calling into question the practice of pill splitting in general. They suggested that in this instance, although a brand-name 5-mg portion was available vs. a 10-mg generic that had to be split, the more expensive 5 mg version was preferred.

However, some physicians have recommended that their patients split the generic 10-mg pill instead, as this method - if done properly - has been shown to be less sedating, the researchers' statement said. – (HealthDayNews)

Read more:
Medicine and You
Precautions while using medication

 

Print this article on

Rate this article Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent