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Objectives

To assess the change in viscosity of water thickened with commercial products by adding the drugs frequently used in elderly patients.

Methods

Samples of water mixed with the commercial thickener Resource (modified corn starch) or Nutilis (modified corn starch, maltodextrin, and gums: tara, xhantan, and guar) to achieve an intermediate consistence as" honey". The viscosity of these samples was measured as well as for similar samples to which one of the following drugs was added: galantamine, rivastigmin, ciprofloxacin, cholecalciferol, memantine, fosfomycin, calcium, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid.

Results

In the samples with Resource thickener we observed decreased viscosity by adding galantamine, memantine, fosfomycin or calcium, and increased viscosity with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. The viscosity of the samples with Nutilis® decreased with galantamine, rivastigmine, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, fosfomycin and calcium.

Conclusion

The viscosity of water with commercial thickeners may be affected by some drugs or their preservatives, which may influence the swallowing capability. It is recommended to perform further in vitro and in vivo studies in order to adjust these formulations if necessary.