Splitting Pills: What You Should Know - Consumer Reports
Splitting Pills: What You Should Know
Pill-splitting may save you money.
Some pills can be cut in half with a pill-splitting tool. Sometimes this is a way to save money--because you get two pills for the price of one. Often, you pay about the same price for different strengths of a drug.
The cost savings can make a difference, especially if you take the same pill every day, like a pill for high blood pressure.
Not all pills can be split.
Always ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe to split your pills.
It is usually okay to split drugs that treat: ? High cholesterol ("statins") ? High blood pressure ? Depression
But some drugs should never be split. For example, the pain medicine oxycodone (OxyContin) is released over time in the body. If you split it, you could get an overdose.
Is pill-splitting safe?
Splitting pills is safe if: ? Your doctor or pharmacist agrees that it's a good
idea for you. ? You do it correctly. ? You only split pills that can safely be split.
Many insurance companies favor pill-splitting in order to cut costs. Most drug companies oppose it. But studies have not shown that people have health problems from splitting pills.
For many years, doctors advised people to split pills because the pills didn't come in the dose needed. Now, more people are splitting pills to save on costs.
Our advice:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before splitting pills to save money. Talk to a pharmacist if you want to split over-the-counter medicines.
Sometimes it is dangerous to split pills. There is no official, complete list of medicines that can be split.
You can usually split these pills
? Amlodipine ? Atenolol ? Atorvastatin ? Citalopram ? Clonazepam ? Doxazosin ? Finasteride
(Norvasc) (Tenormin) (Lipitor) (Celexa) (Klonopin) (Cardura) (Proscar)
? Levothyroxine (Synthroid)
? Lisinopril
(Zestril)
? Lovastatin
(Mevacor)
? Metformin (Glucophage)
? Metoprolol (Toprol)
? Nefazodone (Serzone)
? Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
? Paroxetine ? Pravastatin ? Quinapril ? Rosuvastatin ? Sertraline ? Sildenafil ? Simvastatin
(Paxil) (Pravachol) (Accupril) (Crestor) (Zoloft) (Viagra) (Zocor)
DON'T split these pills
? Oxycodone (OxyContin) for pain ? Omeprazole (Prilosec) for heartburn ? Cetirizine (Zyrtec) for allergies ? Chemotherapy drugs and anti-seizure medicines ? Birth control pills ? Blood thinners (Coumadin, warfarin) ? Capsules containing powders or gels ? Pills with hard outside coatings or coatings to
protect your stomach ? Pills that release the drug throughout the day
(extended-release) ? Pills that crumble easily ? Pills that irritate the mouth or taste bitter ? Pills with strong dyes that could stain your teeth
and mouth
How to split pills safely: ? First, ask your doctor or pharmacist if a pill
you take can be safely split.
? Then, ask your doctor to prescribe a dose that is twice your regular dose.
? If your pills are safe to split, ask the pharmacist to show you how.
? Split the pill at the time you are taking it. Take the second half the next day.
? Do not split pills ahead of time. Pills can crumble when exposed to air and moisture.
? Use a pill-splitter. It is safer and more accu- rate than a knife. Pill-splitters cost from $3 to $10 at pharmacies. Some can cut odd-shaped pills. Some health plans cover pill-splitters.
? Only split pills once, into two halves. Don't split a pill twice.
? You may need help to split pills accurately if you have: Poor eyesight Shaking hands Arthritis or Parkinson's disease Memory or thinking problems
Thinking about pillsplitting? Ask your doctor or pharmacist about it first.
? 2015 Consumer Reports. All rights reserved. This series is produced by Consumer Reports and Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs, a public information project supported by grants from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by the multi-state settlement of consumer fraud claims regarding the marketing of the prescription drug Neurontin. This brief should not be viewed as a substitute for a consultation with a medical or health professional. It is provided to enhance communication with your doctor, not replace it.
Pill-Splitting Savings--Some Examples
Medicine & Daily Dose
Average Monthly
Cost1
Average How Much You Monthly Cost Might Save with with Split Pills Split Pills2
Lovastatin (Mevacor) 10 mg $33
Atorvastatin (Lipitor) 40 mg $124
Amlodipine (Norvasc) 5 mg $55
Sertraline (Zoloft) 50 mg $98
Metoprolol (Toprol) 200 mg $69
$18.50 $61.50 $36.50 $49.00 $34.50
$14.50 $62.50 $18.50 $49.00 $9.50
(1) Prices are nationwide retail averages; information derived by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Symphony Health Solutions. (2) Dose used for calculation is double the dose listed in first column. Price of that dose is not given here.
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related download
- your 2017 prescription drug list optumrx
- why do prescription drug prices vary among different
- phone fax internet 70 2808 tient order form
- splitting pills what you should know consumer reports
- cvs caremark value generic drug list
- buy viagra generic online rxmed buy viagra online from
- prescription drugs and mass media advertising
- average wholesale price for prescription drugs is there a
- price comparison of commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals
Related searches
- i know what you meant
- you should know synonym
- what you should know about credit cards
- how to know if you should divorce
- things you should know quiz
- what you should know before marriage
- what career should you have
- people you should know about
- what order should you read the bible
- what stocks should you buy today
- diabetes what you should know
- you should know better meaning