Massachusetts Pharmacy Technician License Practice Test

If a patient is allergic to alcohol, which dosage form should they avoid?

1. Syrup

2. Tablet

3. Elixir

4. Suspension

The correct answer is: Elixir

When considering a patient with an allergy to alcohol, it's essential to understand the composition of various dosage forms. An elixir is a type of liquid medication that typically contains alcohol as a solvent or preservative. This means that if a patient has an allergy to alcohol, using an elixir could trigger an allergic reaction or cause other adverse effects. Syrups, while they are also liquid forms of medication, do not generally contain alcohol and are sweetened to mask the taste of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Tablets and suspensions are solid or semi-solid forms that, barring specific formulations designed with alcohol, usually do not contain any alcohol. Therefore, these dosage forms would generally be safer alternatives for someone with an alcohol allergy. In summary, the key reason for avoiding elixirs for patients with an alcohol allergy is the presence of alcohol as a key ingredient in their formulation, making them inappropriate for such individuals.