define
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)
any substance in a compounded preparation that confers pharmacological activity
calibrate
to gauge a measuring instrument with a standard scale of reading
diluent
an inactive ingredient that is added to the active drug in compounding a tablet, capsule, solution, or topical formulation
Graduated Cylinder
a flask used for accurately measuring liquids
amp
ampule
Agglomerations
clusters, lumps, clumps, or globs of ingredients in a liquid, semiliquid, or powdered vehicle, which are undesired in compounding
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
stat
immediately
Autoclave
a device that generates heat and pressure to sterilize objects, instruments, and measuring vessels and devices
component
an ingredient in a compounded product
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
IV
intravenous
Beyond Use Date (BUD)
the date after which a drug should not be used once it has been removed from the intact container
compounded preparation
a patient-specific medication prepared on-site from individual ingredients, often by a technician under the direct supervision of the pharmacist
Forceps
a stainless steel pincher instrument like a large tweezer used to pick up small objects, such as pharmacy weights
mortal and pestle
equipment used for mixing and grinding pharmaceutical ingredients
SC
subcutaneous
blending
the act of combining two substances by using nongrinding techniques such as spatulation, sifting, and tumbling
Compounded Sterile Preparation
a medication prepared with aseptic technique in a sterile, cleanroom facility
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
nonsterile compounding
the preparation of a medication from several pharmaceutical ingredients in an appropriate quantity and dosage form in response to a prescription written by a physician; sometime referred to as extemporaneous compounding
hs
at bedtime