Indian healthcare providers are now increasingly looking at the Transdermal & Topical Delivery Systems in patient care. The key reasons for this are patient compliance and comfort. These drug delivery modes have proved that the medicines are easily able to penetrate the skin and effortlessly reach the target site. Drug delivery via the skin is a transformation in patient care. It is more simpler, with no uneasiness or pain. This is commonly used in pain management, dermatology conditions and ENT, besides delivery of local anaesthesia therapeutically through the skin. According to Dr. Shivananda N V, Consultant in Anaesthesiology, Manipal Hospital Whitefield, the benefits of Transdermal Delivery Systems over other routes of drug administration are that it is non-invasive and self administration of the drug by the patient is possible, the effect of the drug is continuous and long lasting. It bypasses the first pass metabolism associated with oral route there by increasing the bio availability of the drug. Moreover it avoids all the side effects associated with oral route like gastric irritation, vomiting and diarrhea. “Transdermal Delivery Systems are very commonly used in oncology.
These provide slow sustained release of medications through reservoir medication containing patches and sometimes uses body’s heat to release the drug. We commonly use patches for cancer pain management. Some of these are Fentanyl Patches and Diclofenac patches which provide controlled release medication lasting from 24-72 hours”, said Dr Niti Raizada, senior consultant, Medical Oncology & Hemato-Oncology, Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru. Transdermal route is a very pragmatic addition to the armamentarium of analgesics. They are easy to use with few complications and a long duration of action which also makes it more appropriate in treating palliative care patients giving the much needed comfort, stated Dr Himaaldev, Consultant intensive care unit, Apollo Hospitals, Sheshadripuram, Bengaluru.
Further Dr Raizada pointed out that Controlled release Nicotine patches are also strongly encouraged in Smoking cessation in a case of Tobacco related malignancy where smoking cessation May help in dealing with cancer and associated conditions like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)more effectively. Even Vitamin -B12 patches are also in use due to poor absorption of B12 directly from stomach and so mouth dissolvable formulations or transdermal patches are widely prevalent. Topical drug delivery for the treatment of local infections of the vagina, nose, eye and skin is often used. However conventional topical drug delivery systems suffer from drawbacks such as poor retention and low bioavailability. Dr Shivananda added that Transdermal Delivery Systems has advantages over hypodermic injections, which are painful, generate dangerous medical waste and pose the risk of disease transmission by needle re-use, especially in developing countries. There is good patient compliance as the frequency of drug dosing is less. The drug effect can be easily terminated by removal of the patch.
