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Which of the following types of medication should not be crushed?

  1. Chewable tablets

  2. Extended-release forms

  3. Crystalline tablets

  4. Liquid suspensions

The correct answer is: Extended-release forms

Extended-release forms of medications should not be crushed because they are designed to release the medication slowly over time. By crushing these types of medications, the release mechanism is disrupted, which can lead to an unintended, potentially dangerous, increase in the amount of medication being released at once. This can increase the risk of side effects or toxicity. It is important to follow specific instructions for each medication to ensure safe and effective administration. Chewable tablets, crystalline tablets, and liquid suspensions are generally safe to crush, as they are formulated to be taken in that manner. Chewable tablets are designed to be chewed before swallowing, crystalline tablets can be crushed into a fine powder for easier administration, and liquid suspensions are already in a form that can be easily swallowed.