Journal of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Open Access

Abstract

Taste acceptance of Captopril and Furosemide Extemporaneous Oral Pediatric Formulations among Hospitalized Children

Medeiros MDSG, Garruti DDS, Batista LAA, Cruz Fonseca SGD, Fernandes FP, Luna Coelho HL

Many pediatric patients require medications that are not available in age appropriate formulations, especially those with cardiovascular diseases. The use of a suitable vehicle is critical for the preparation of extemporaneous formulations with the expected effect. Considering that palatability is essential to treatment adherence in children, we analyzed the acceptance of extemporaneous formulations of Captopril and Furosemide prepared using a developed vehicle in three flavors: neutral, strawberry and mint. Formulations were administered to hospitalized pediatric patients as prescribed. Acceptance was evaluated through the guardians using the hedonic scale and compared with the researcher’s observation. Formulations in neutral and strawberry flavors were considered acceptable for both drugs. Correlation between results from both methods was moderate for Captopril and absent for Furosemide. Neutral taste results showed that the addition of flavoring agents did not improve acceptance. Since it is recommended to avoid components in formulations for infants and newborns, unless strictly necessary, it is important to identify excipients that are dispensable.