SR Metformin

[AnnieC]

Is the slow release Metformin the same as ..Film-Coated Tablets...this is what it says on my husbands packet. He has been taking them now for 6 weeks...since diagnoses of T2... increasing the dosage every 2 weeks as told to by his doctor until he is on 2 twice a day which will be next week. He has not had any problem with diarrhoea at all so I wondered if his are the SR kind

 

[jack412]

Yes they are a slow release tab

 

[catherinecherub]

This explains film coated Annie.

Due to the large increase in size of the tablet caused by sugar coating drug manufacturers have largely changed to using 'film coatings'. These are very thin layers of an inactive excipient coated thinly onto the tablet to again protect the tongue from the flavour of the contents and the contents from moisture and light. The film will however breakdown with a little agitation from the stomach and additional water in the form of saliva or stomach acid. As such film coatings do not significantly affect the way in which the drug is absorbed.

http://www.swallowingdifficulties.c...ns/different-coatings/film-and-sugar-coatings

The modified, ( slow) release lettering is explained here.

Modified release' means that the escape of the drug from the tablet has been modified in some way. Usually this is to slow the release of the drug so that the medicine doesn't have to be taken too often and therefore makes it easier to remember to take. The other benefit from modifying release is that the concentration of the drug in the body goes up slowly, is less likely to go very high and therefore reduces the chance of side effects.

Tablets and capsules which are designed to provide modified release often have the letters MR, LA, XL, CR or SR in their names e.g. Diffundox MR, Elantan LA, Dilzem XL Calcicard CR, Dilcardia S,. Sometimes the words 'slow' or 'retard' can be used to denote modified release e.g. Diclomax retard, Voltarol retard & Slow K.

http://www.swallowingdifficulties.c...-a-tablet/different-coatings/modified-release

 

[Adelle0607]

Is the slow release Metformin the same as ..Film-Coated Tablets...this is what it says on my husbands packet. He has been taking them now for 6 weeks...since diagnoses of T2... increasing the dosage every 2 weeks as told to by his doctor until he is on 2 twice a day which will be next week. He has not had any problem with diarrhoea at all so I wondered if his are the SR kind

Yes, they are film coated aka enteric coated. Important not be cut in half or crushed as it will lose its gastro resistant effect, (same with other film/enteric coated meds).


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[AnnieC]

Thanks for your replies thats good then that they were prescribed first off for him and did not have to ask for the SR ones

 

[Daibell]

My Glucophage SR and some of the other SR brands I had have not been film coated but seem to have a slow release powder mix

 

[Marvin]

Sorry to disagree, but "film coated" does NOT necessarily mean "slow release" or "modified release". These latter terms are always signified by additional letters such as SR or MR, or by some other descriptive term like "Slow" or "Retard". The leaflet in the packet will make it clear. AFAIK the term "film coated" as catherinecherub stated refers to an outer coating designed simply to help take the medication with less nasty taste and to protect the pill from moisture during storage. The coating dissolves almost immediately in the stomach and does not retard absorption in any way. Some brands of the statins I take state they are film coated, and other brands do not. I don't think film coating is an "enteric" coating, either (designed to protect the stomach lining against damage caused by physical contact with the drug). Unless the package information leaflet specifically says so, the pills you have will not be "slow" or "modified" release. But then, if your husband is one of the lucky ones who can cope with standard metformin, that doesn't matter.
Perhaps any pharmacist who reads this thread can enlighten us further.....

EDIT: Just Googled "film coated tablets", and it seems there are all sorts of film coatings for different purposes..... some are to mask bitter tasting medication, others do affect rate of release, and/or enteric properties. The best guide to what kind of tablets you actually have is the patient information leaflet in the packaging.

 

[Adelle0607]

Film coating can also be applied to the desired function of the medication: immediate release, sustained release and enteric release.

I stand to be corrected, but best not to rely on memory alone (it's been years since my pharmacokinetics!) and back it up with articles. metformin xr is indeed sustained release formulation relying on the osmotic technology/ dual hydrophilic (water loving) polymer matrix system. The active core formulation/drug is surrounded by a semi permeable membrane that is permeable (can pass through) to water. Upon ingestion of the drug, water passes thru the membrane which then dissolves the drug and is released via exit ports in the membrane. Drug is released slowly via diffusion/osmotic gradient and this exists till there is undissolved drug left in the core tablet. Once all of it is dissolved, osmotic gradient then after awhile goes back to zero and delivery is finished.

Also for sustained release as well as enteric, it should be swallowed in whole and should not be crushed or chewed to get desired effect (sustained release or enteric effect)

Sources:

http://www.drugs.com/pro/glucophage.html

http://www.patient.co.uk/medicine/Metformin.htm





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