Monitorization of drug content in furosemide and lorazepam tablets stored in multidose pill boxes

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic nonadherence is a major health problem, particularly when therapeutic regimens are complex and long-lasting. Therefore, tools such as multidose pill boxes have been designed to provide the means for higher therapeutic compliance. However, no studies are available reporting on their capacity to keep the drug content of the stored tablets unaltered. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed at monitoring the drug content of tablets stored in multidose boxes for a period of two weeks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Furosemide and lorazepam were selected as model drugs, given their frequent chronic use, which is coherent with the profile of medicines susceptible of storage in the referred boxes. Variations of the tablets drug content were assessed as a function of temperature (25°C and 40°C) and the presence of blister. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The obtained results allowed concluding that concerning temperature, only lorazepam tablets registered drug content alterations and only when stored at 40°C. On the other side, it was concluded that the absence of blister does not compromise the drug content of the studied tablets. CONCLUSION: In the specific conditions of this study, the storage of these medicines in multidose boxes is considered reliable and adequate.