Administering a medication in a plastic or styrofoam cup can be hazardous to the patient.
Hazards of administering a medication in a plastic or Styrofoam cup:
(1) The drug may become absorbed onto the wall of the cup.
(2) The formulation may contain a solvent or chemical that dissolves the cup, causing it to leak. If the fluid is hot then the patient may become burned.
(3) The formulation may contain a solvent or chemical that dissolves some of the cup material that can be ingested by the patient.
Some things that can dissolve Styrofoam:
(1) acetone or other hydrocarbons
(2) fatty acid esters (omega-3-acid, other)
(3) certain oils (fish, soybean, other)
Precautions to prevent these problems:
(1) Read the precautions for all medications prior to administration to identify chemical incompatibilities.
(2) If in doubt administer the medication in a glass cup.
(3) Do not cut open a liquid capsule and mix with fluid in a plastic or Styrofoam cup without first checking for chemical incompatibilities.
