Tablet-breaking ability of older persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of older persons with t ype 2 diabetes to accurately break in half 2 different formulations of micr onized glyburide tablets. Methods Thirty persons with type 2 diabetes, over age 70, were recruited from the S t. Louis University geriatric clinics. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Group A broke 30 Glynase Prestabs and 30 generic tablets using 2 different manual tablet-breaking methods. Group B broke 15 Glynase Prest abs and 15 generic tablets without instructions. Visual analog scales were used to assess pain and difficulty of tablet breaking. Results A higher percentage of successful tablet breaking was reported with Glynase Prestabs (80%) compared with the generic tablets (33%). Mean pain scores f or breaking Glynase Prestabs were 0.1 (Group A) and 0.9 (Group B). Higher p ain scores were obtained for the generic tablets (2.1 for Group A, 3.2 for Group B). Glynase Prestabs were easier to break in both groups, and the res ultant half tablets showed less variance from the expected theoretical weig ht (50% of whole parent tablet weight). Conclusions Older adults broke Glynase Prestabs more accurately and with less difficult y than generic micronized glyburide tablets. This variation in ease of tabl et breaking and accuracy between different tablet formulations affect bioav ailability and patient compliance.