Key Terms
active pharmaceutical ingredient
any substance in a compounded preparation that confers pharmacological activity
comminution
the act of reducing a substance to small, fine particles using particle-reducing techniques like trituration, levigation, and pulverization
emollient
an ointment base commercially available from a wholesaler or pharmacy compounding vendor
levigation
a process usually used to reduce the particle size of a solid during the preparation of an ointment
q.d.
every day
agglomerations
clusters, lumps, clumps, or globs of ingredients in a liquid, semiliquid, or powdered vehicle, which are undesired in compounding
compounded preparation
a patient-specific medication prepared on-site from individual ingredients, often by a technician under the direct supervision of the pharmacist
excipients
inactive ingredients
meniscus
the moon-shaped or concave appearance of a liquid in a graduated cylinder; used during the volume measurement process, with the center being the accepted level
q.h.s.
every day at bedtime
autoclave
a device that generates heat and pressure to sterilize objects, instruments, and measuring vessels and devices
compounded sterile preparation (CSP)
a medication prepared with aseptic technique in a sterile, cleanroom facility
extemporaneous compounding
compounding products that are done for a specific patient's immediate need but not commercially available; another name for nonsterile compounding in a community pharmacy
pipette
a long, chin, calibrated, hollow tube used for measuring small volumes of liquids
q.i.d.
4 times a day
calibrate
to gauge a measuring instrument
compounding
the process of preparing a medication for an individual patient from bulk ingredients according to a prescription from a licensed prescriber
forceps
a stainless steel pincher instrument like a large tweezer used to pick up small objects, such as pharmacy weights
spatulation
a process used to blend ingredients with a spatula; often used in the preparation of creams and ointments
q.w.
every week
Class III prescription balance
a two-pan balance used to weigh material (between 120 mg and 120g) with a sensitivity racing of +/- 6 mg; also known as a Class A prescription balance
diluent
an inactive ingredient that is added to the active drug in compounding a cabler, capsule, solution, or topical formulation
geometric dilution method
a process that uses a mortar and pestle to gradually combine several active ingredients (drugs) with inactive ingredients (diluent) to produce a more homogenous product
trituration
the process of rubbing, grinding. or pulverizing a substance to create finer particles
q.a.d.; q.o.d.
every other day