Can trental be crushed for someone having difficulty swallowing the pill?

1 Aug 2010

Hi no you can not, do not break, crush, or chew the tablets. Swallow them whole. They are specially coated to protect your stomach.

Take care

2 Aug 2010

I'd say no to.
most times they will have a lineimprinted to cut or break
If time released they have to be swallowed whole

24 Oct 2010

The "official" answer is indeed "No, do not split or crush." But please double-check with your doctor (pharmacists are not very familiar with this med). While the controlled-release mechanism of many medications is defeated by crushing or splitting, with some it's OK -- it all depends on the method the pill uses for controlling release. Also, note that there are some generic versions of Trental that are smaller than others. I use Mylan, which is very large. I once used Apotex which was quite a bit smaller, but as of Oct 2010 the FDA is still enforcing a year-long ban on sale of all Apotex generics in the US. I don't know the size of the Teva version, which I believe Walgreens and some others use, based on calling and surfing. But FWIW, I read that Teva is still having intermittent Trental shortages.