Solid Medication Intake in Hospitalised Patients With Dysphagia: A Challenge for Speech and Language Pathologists?

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: Registration ID: NCT05173051/Protocol ID: 11TS003721 WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject Speech Language Pathologists are crucial in assessing and managing dysphagia. Recent studies and guidelines suggest that it is important for SLPs to evaluate the ability to swallow solid medications. However, there is limited research on whether and how SLPs assess and manage solid dosage forms in patients with dysphagia, especially those with post-stroke dysphagia. Although a few studies have used instrumental assessments like FEES to evaluate pill swallowing, there is a lack of standardised methods. What this paper adds to existing knowledge The findings indicate that almost three-quarters of the surveyed SLPs do evaluate SDFs, with fruit puree and water being the most preferred accompanying boluses. Patients' own medications are more frequently used in clinical swallowing examinations (CSE), whilst placebos are preferred in instrumental assessments. A large majority of SLPs are involved in deciding whether solid medications should be modified for patients with dysphagia. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The research highlights the need for standardised protocols for the evaluation of swallowing SDFs as part of both clinical and instrumental assessments. Additionally, there is a critical need for the establishment of professional and regulatory guidelines to ensure consistent and evidence-based practices among SLPs, potentially improving patient care and medication administration.