Pill-splitting in a long-term care facility

Abstract

"Start low, go slow” is a strategy used to minimize adverse drug events when prescribing for older people.1 However, low doses are seldom produced by pharmaceutical manufacturers and are often not paid for by provincial or hospital formularies. Although pill-splitting allows older adults to obtain the prescribed therapy, it is arduous, time-consuming and can lead to inaccurate dosing, which may result in ineffective disease management.2 This study examined the frequency of and reasons for pillsplitting in a long-term care facility"