From Immediate Release to Long Acting Drug Delivery Systems: What Do They Mean and Why Do They Matter?

Understanding the varied delivery systems of today's medications can not only simplify dosing schedules but also improve medication adherence, reduce adverse events and polypharmacy, and increase patients' overall quality of life. Whether a medication is noted as immediate, controlled, delayed, or extended release can influence patient adherence as well as tolerability of the drug. New and novel delivery systems, such as long-acting weekly formulations or biweekly and monthly injectable agents, can offer steady blood levels of the drug, avoiding the daily fluctuations that may lead to side effects. Other delivery systems, such as transdermal patches and extended-release orally disintegrating tablets, may offer convenience for those with gastrointestinal concerns or the inability to swallow tablets or capsules. The current article serves as a primer on drug delivery systems and why they are important to consider when introducing medications to a patient's treatment regimen. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(5), 19-23.].