Cut to the Chase About Whether It’s Okay to Cut Patches
March 2025
Dangerous errors with transdermal patches are still occurring...often due to mistakenly cutting them.
Recently, a child’s clonidine patch was accidentally cut in half...to provide a lower dose. The child experienced clonidine toxicity (bradycardia, somnolence, unresponsiveness)...but fortunately recovered.
Know which patches can and canNOT be cut. Most should NEVER be cut...since they release a constant amount of drug over time. Cutting may cause the drug to release too fast...which could lead to an overdose.
Get concise advice on drug therapy, plus unlimited access to CE
Pharmacist's Letter membership benefits include:
- 12 issues every year — what you need to know and do, right now
- Quick, practical reference charts and tools
- Comprehensive CE library to meet license renewal and state requirements
- Multiple course formats including live webinars, podcasts, and CE-in-the-Letter to match your learning style
- Plus much more!
Choose the right tier for your needs today.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Volume pricing available. Get a quote