Advantage And Disadvantage Of Transdermal Delivery System

Transdermal therapeutic systems are high-tech patches that make treatment much more convenient and pleasant for the patient. Instead of having to take lots of tablets, patients often only have to apply a new patch.

Transdermal delivery

Transdermal patches usually last for 1 – 3 days, sometimes even longer. Although the patches can be applied anywhere over the body, chest, abdomen, upper arm, lower back, buttock, or mastoid regions are preferred. These regions are usually thin-skinned or highly vascular.

Advantages Of Transdermal Drug Delivery System

1. Limiting hepatic first-pass metabolism, hence lower dose of medication can obtain desired plasma level compared with oral formulations

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2. Transdermal medication delivers a steady infusion of a drug over a prolonged period of time

3. The simplified medication regimen leads to improved patient compliance and reduced the side effects, inter and intra-patient variability

4. No interference with gastric and intestinal fluids hence suitable for drugs that can be destroyed by gastric and intestinal fluids

5. Maintains stable or constant and controlled blood levels for a longer period of time.

5. Comparable characteristics with intravenous infusion

6.

Reduced side effects secondary to gastrointestinal intolerance and fluctuations of drug levels

7. Reduced frequency of dosing

8. Self administration

9. Avoidance of unpleasant and inconvenient painful parenteral administration

10. Suitable for patient experience nausea and vomiting

11. Patient and carer satisfaction because of ease of use and tolerability

12. Constant drug serum level versus episodic peaks

13. Easier to titrate to achieve optimal therapeutic doses

14. Potentially reduces the risk of drug overdose

15. Removal of the patch stops drug delivery

Disadvantages Of Transdermal Drug Delivery System

1. The possibility of local irritation may develop at the site of application. Many problems like Erythema, itching, and local edema can be caused by the drug, the adhesive, or other excipients in the patch formulation.

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2. Many drugs with a hydrophilic structure have a low penetration through the skin and slowly to be of therapeutic benefit. Drugs with a lipophilic character, however, are better suited for transdermal delivery.

3. The barrier function of the skin changes from one site to another on the same person, from person to person and with age.

4. Transdermal drug delivery systems cannot achieve high drug levels in blood/plasma.

5. Good adherence to skin is necessary for patches to be effective. Presence of oil, hair or sweat on the patch application site can be hindrances to adherence and can cause variations in absorption

6. Slow time towards peak plasma levels, hence unsuitable for emergency

7. The barrier function of skin change from skin to skin and location to location which may affect the adherence of the patch to some parts of the body and people

8. Limited choice of medication that may be formulated in transdermal format

9. Variations in bioavailability

10. Steady state of drug is maintained only as long as the patch is applied

11. May be more expensive than oral formulation

12. It involves learning the appropriate application technique

13. Potential medication error such as using multiple patches