Overlapping product characteristics, such as the drug strengths, dosage forms, and dosing intervals.
Sometimes a wearing off effect may occur at the end of the dosing interval, where a patient may feel Parkinson's symptoms.
Use patient response to determine the effective dosing interval for aspirin, acetaminophen, and other NSAIDs listed in Table 1.
The appropriate dosing interval is determined by the opioid and formulation used.
The dosing interval of these drugs is usually 4 hours.
Assume that patients actively abusing heroin or prescription opioids (including methadone) have some pharmacologic tolerance that will require higher starting doses and shorter dosing intervals.
Generally the initial dosing interval once every three months, after the first two doses are administered four weeks apart.
Due to the concentration in the thyroid, however, dosing intervals may last 8 hours or longer.
This makes for a longer-acting medicinal effect and reduces toxicity, and allows longer dosing intervals.
Some side effects may be ameliorated by using a shorter dosing interval (weekly or every ten days instead of twice monthly with enanthate or cypionate.)
