Associate Professor Kathryn Steadman from UQ's School of Pharmacy featured in an article by The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia discussing new research which tested the thickness of oral liquid medicines against international standards.
Dr Steadman was the lead author on the paper which tested more than 120 oral liquid medicines and classified using the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework to determine if they are a safe option for people with dysphagia.
‘Arising from the mouth, throat or oesophagus, dysphagia ranges from mild difficulty, to a complete inability to swallow food, drink, medicine and even saliva,” Dr Steadman said.
“For people with dysphagia, the thickness of liquids, as well as the texture of food, is an important factor to consider for swallowing safety to reduce the risk of choking.”
The study directly informed the recommendations in the 4th edition of Don’t Rush to Crush, Australia’s essential guide to safely administering oral medicines to people with enteral feeding tubes or swallowing difficulties, produced by the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA).
