Effects on patients of changes in physical properties in drug administration using swallowing aid jelly

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11231
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University of Pharmacy and Medical and Life Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Iimura Nahoko 新潟薬科大学, 薬学部, 教授 (00232140)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 服薬補助ゼリー / 嚥下困難 / 製剤物性 / 高齢者医療 / 粘性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aspiration pneumonia accounts for the majority of pneumonia cases among the Japanese population.One of the causes of aspiration pneumonia is age-related deterioration of swallowing function. Swallowing aid jellies are used to facilitate medication administration for patients with age-related dysphagia and oral dysfunction.The author's research has revealed that the viscosity and fluidity of the jelly changes when the drug is mixed with the swallowing aid jelly due to the interaction between the drug and the swallowing aid jelly. In this study, drugs for hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, and Chinese herbal medicine, which are considered to be common in the elderly, were selected and their interactions with the aids to swallowing jelly were investigated in terms of rheological properties. As a result, it was found that the mixture of the drugs and the aids to swallowing jelly had a significant effect on the flowability.

Free Research Field

製剤学、薬剤学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

加齢等の理由で嚥下障害、口腔機能低下を抱える患者に対して、負担の少ない服薬を目的に服薬補助ゼリーが用いられている。本国における超高齢社会の進行を考えれば、服薬コンプライアンスの向上や嚥下困難の状況を踏まえ、服薬補助ゼリーの使用はさらに増加することが考えられる。市販の服薬補助ゼリーの選択は、味や風味の好みで選択されることもあるが、本研究結果より、服薬補助ゼリーに混合される医薬品によっては、流動性に影響を及ぼし、むしろ飲みにくくなる可能性が考えられる。混合する医薬品、またその添加物にも注意して、服薬する医薬品に最適な服薬ゼリーを選択することが重要と思われる。