Tablet-breaking ability of older persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of older persons with type 2 diabetes to accurately break in half 2 different formulations of micronized glyburide tablets.

Thirty persons with type 2 diabetes, over age 70, were recruited from the St Louis University geriatric clinics. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Group A broke 30 Glynase Prestabs and 30 generic tablets using 2 different manual tablet-breaking methods. Group B broke 15 Glynase Prestabs and 15 generic tablets without instructions. Visual analog scales were used to assess pain and difficulty of tablet breaking.

A higher percentage of successful tablet breaking was reported with Glynase Prestabs (80%) compared with the generic tablets (33%). Mean pain scores for breaking Glynase Prestabs were 0.1 (Group A) and 0.9 (Group B). Higher pain scores were obtained for the generic tablets (2.1 for Group A, 3.2 for Group B). Glynase Prestabs were easier to break in both groups, and the resultant half tablets showed less variance from the expected theoretical weight (50% of whole parent tablet weight).

Older adults broke Glynase Prestabs more accurately and with less difficulty than generic micronized glyburide tablets. This variation in ease of tablet breaking and accuracy between different tablet formulations affect bioavailability and patient compliance.