Extending drug release from a dosage form can prolong its action, attenuate peak plasma levels, thereby obviating concentration-related side effects or optimize efficacy by matching systemic presence with other time-related effects.
Such modifications can be affected by embedding the drug in a matrix that prevents immediate release but delivers at a rate consistent with absorption or disposition requirements.
Various polymeric and other materials can be used to design the most appropriate release profile and provide a viable and consistent mode of manufacture.
Such materials, their properties, and modes of release modification are presented, reviewed, and discussed in this chapter.