Osmolality of Commonly Used Oral Medications in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Publication/Presentation Date

1-1-2021

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The administration of hyperosmolar oral products in neonates has been associated with gastrointestinal complications. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a maximum osmolality of 450 mOsm/kg for formulas and enteral nutrition for term infants, and recent studies reported intolerance to enteral nutrition with osmolality above 500 mOsm/kg in low birthweight infants. The osmolality of medications administered to neonates is often not available in the literature or from manufacturers. The purpose of this study was to determine the osmolality of oral medications commonly administered to neonates in the NICU.

METHODS: Fifty-two oral medications were chosen for this study, including solutions, suspensions, syrups, elixirs, and intravenous solutions administered orally. The osmolality of each medication was measured in triplicate by using freezing point depression.

RESULTS: Thirty-seven of the 43 medications with measurable values (86.1%) had an osmolality greater than 500 mOsm/kg, and 6 medications (14%) had an osmolality less than 500 mOsm/kg. Nine medications did not result in a value.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides osmolality data on oral medications commonly used in neonates with most oral medications having an osmolality greater than 500 mOsm/kg.

Volume

26

Issue

2

First Page

172

Last Page

178

ISSN

1551-6776

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PubMedID

33603581

Department(s)

Department of Pharmacy, Department of Pediatrics

Document Type

Article

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