Key Terms
API
Any substance in a compounded preparation that confers pharmacological activity
Calibrate
To guage a measuring instrument with a standard scale of reading
Compounded Sterile Preparation
A medication prepared with aseptic technique in a sterile, cleanroom facility
Excipients
Inactive ingredients
d.a.w.
dispense as written
Agglomerations
Clusters, lumps, clumps, or globs of ingredients in a liquid, semiliquid, or powdered vehicle, which are undesired in compounding
Class III Prescription Balance
A two-pan balance used to weigh material(between 120 mg and 120 g) with a senitivity rating of +/- 6 mg; also known as a Class A prescription balance
Compounding
The process of preparing a medication for an individual patient from bulk ingredients according to a prescription from a licensed prescriber
Extemporaneous Compounding
Compounding products that are done for a specific patient’s immediate need, but are not commercially available; another name for nonsterile compounding in a community pharmacy
disp.
dispense
Autoclave
A device that generates heat and pressure to sterilize objects, instruments, and measuring vessels and devices
Comminution
The act of reducing a substance to small, fine particles using particle-reducing techniques like trituration, levigation, and pulverization
Compounding Record
A printout for a specific patient, including the amounts or weights of all ingredients with national drug code calculations and instructions for compounding, is used by the technician to document a compounded medication for a patient
Forceps
A stainless steel pincher instrument, like a large tweezer, used to pick up small objects, such as pharmacy weights
gram
BUD
The date after which a drug should not be used once it has been removed from the intact container
Component
An ingredient in a compounded product
Diluent
An inactive ingredient that is added to the active drug in compounding a tablet, capsule, solution, or topical formulation
Geometric Dilution Method
A process that uses a mortar and pestle tro gradually combine several active ingredients with inactiv ingredients to produce a more homogenous product
mg
Blending
The act of combining two substances by using nongrinding techniques such as spatulation, sifting, and tumbling
Compounded Preparation
A patient-specific medication prepared on-site from individual ingredients, often by a technician under the direct supervision of the pharmacist
Emollient
An ointment base commercially available from a wholesaler or pharmacy compounding vendor
Graduated Cylinder
A flask used to accurately measuring liquids
gtt(s)
drop(s)