[The problem in the incubation of injective solutions. The difference between ampule and vial]

Variations in the actual doses with vials and ampules due to causes of dosage forms and human operations have been discussed. The differences between the labeled doses and actually administered doses with ampules and vials have been studied. The comparison of resulting blood levels revealed peaks of 4.88 +/- 1.08 micrograms/ml and 3.85 +/- 0.71 micrograms/ml actually determined with ampule preparations and vial preparations, respectively, showing some appreciable differences. These values were analyzed with compartment models. Cmax values were 5.13 micrograms/ml and 3.94 micrograms/ml, respectively, showing significant differences (P less than 0.05) between the ampule and vial preparations. However, AUC and Tmax values were equal to each other, so that it was assumed that there would be no problem about the similarity of the 2 types of dosage forms. As to the differences due to human operations, the nurse A did normally collect only 83.0% (75.2 mg) volume of the labeled doses of vials, and, even when she did it with greater care, she collected still 90.0% (81.5 mg) of the labeled doses. On the other hand, the nurse B normally collected 89.8% (81.4 mg) of the labeled dose of vials, and when she used greater care, she collected 92.4% (83.7 mg) of the labeled doses. In the group of ampule preparations, the nurses A and B collected 93.1% (94.8 mg) and 98.1% (99.9 mg), respectively. It was beyond the amount expected in advance for the actually collected dose from ampules. The differences in the collected doses between ampules and vials were within the expected range because ampule preparations usually contain approximate 10% overage, but as to the differences added to this difference due to the human operations, the nearly twice as much speed for collecting the filled preparation by the nurse A would not have been denied for the smaller doses collected on the basis of the above-mentioned results. It was noted therefore that care should be taken in collecting the filled doses from containers into injection syringes.