Tussionex Formulation Composition
No, the hydrocodone and chlorpheniramine are not exclusively contained in white beads—Tussionex is formulated as an extended-release suspension where both active ingredients are distributed throughout the liquid vehicle, not isolated in discrete beads.
Understanding Tussionex Formulation
The question appears to stem from confusion about sustained-release delivery systems. While some extended-release medications use bead technology (such as certain methylphenidate formulations that contain medication particles in capsules 1), Tussionex operates differently.
Key Formulation Characteristics
- Tussionex is a liquid suspension, not a capsule or tablet containing beads 2
- The hydrocodone bitartrate and chlorpheniramine maleate are formulated together in a sustained-release delivery system designed to provide 12-hour duration of action 3
- Both active ingredients are present throughout the suspension vehicle, allowing for gradual release over the dosing interval 3
Clinical Implications
Dosing Considerations
- The sustained-release formulation provides more uniform plasma drug profiles compared to immediate-release products, with fewer occasions of super- or subtherapeutic concentrations 4
- This delivery system is designed to maintain therapeutic levels of both the antitussive (hydrocodone) and antihistamine (chlorpheniramine) components throughout the 12-hour dosing interval 3
Important Safety Note
- Tussionex is contraindicated in patients under 18 years of age due to unfavorable benefit-risk profile, with no robust efficacy data supporting pediatric use and significant safety concerns including respiratory depression 3
- The formulation should never be divided, crushed, or altered, as this would destroy the sustained-release properties and could lead to rapid release of potentially fatal doses of hydrocodone 3