Why shake solutions ?

Looking at several bottles of liquid prescribed medicines it appears to me
that they are solutions rather than mixtures or suspensions.

Why do the labels state "shake the bottle before use" - since it appears
that the concentration of lactulose , baclofen, mucodyne or whatever is
already the same throughout the bottle; and shaking only leads to inclusion
of air bubbles and therefore greater difficulty in measuring accurately a
prescribed dose.

Some medicines are obviously 'suspensions' and therefore should be shaken ,
but with solutions I don't see the point: and indeed it seems better not to,
despite the label instruction.

Anthony

"Anthony Stokes" <Anthony.Stokes@nhsstaff.org.uk> wrote in message
news:4332057f$1@news.greennet.net...
> Looking at several bottles of liquid prescribed medicines it appears to me
> that they are solutions rather than mixtures or suspensions.
>
> Some medicines are obviously 'suspensions' and therefore should be shaken
> ,
> but with solutions I don't see the point: and indeed it seems better not
> to,
> despite the label instruction.
>
> Anthony

I'd agree with you on that there Anthony.
I never advise my patients to shake solutions. But occasionally, you do get
a product that is thixotrophic and so easier to pour when agitated.

	#1
Anthony Stokes	Why shake solutions ? Looking at several bottles of liquid prescribed medicines it appears to me that they are solutions rather than mixtures or suspensions. Why do the labels state "shake the bottle before use" - since it appears that the concentration of lactulose , baclofen, mucodyne or whatever is already the same throughout the bottle; and shaking only leads to inclusion of air bubbles and therefore greater difficulty in measuring accurately a prescribed dose. Some medicines are obviously 'suspensions' and therefore should be shaken , but with solutions I don't see the point: and indeed it seems better not to, despite the label instruction. Anthony

	#2
Rob	Re: Why shake solutions ? "Anthony Stokes" <Anthony.Stokes@nhsstaff.org.uk> wrote in message news:4332057f$1@news.greennet.net... > Looking at several bottles of liquid prescribed medicines it appears to me > that they are solutions rather than mixtures or suspensions. > > Some medicines are obviously 'suspensions' and therefore should be shaken > , > but with solutions I don't see the point: and indeed it seems better not > to, > despite the label instruction. > > Anthony I'd agree with you on that there Anthony. I never advise my patients to shake solutions. But occasionally, you do get a product that is thixotrophic and so easier to pour when agitated.