Can You Split Ubrelvy Tablets In Half Or Crush Them?

Answer

Per the manufacturer of Ubrelvy (Abbvie), the tablets are not recommended to be split, cut, or crushed. They should be swallowed whole.

Now, this recommendation is simply based on the fact that there is no data available regarding how splitting or crushing the tablets could affect them.

Clinical trials for the drug only evaluated the administration of whole, intact tablets.

Do We Expect Crushing Or Splitting To Affect Ubrelvy Tablets?

It is important to note that even though Ubrelvy tablets are not recommended for splitting or crushing, the tablets do not have any sort of modified or extended-release properties.

Additionally, the tablets do not contain any ingredients that we would expect to affect how Ubrelvy works or is absorbed if the tablets were to be split or crushed.

Per the prescribing information for the drug, the tablets contain all of the following ingredients:

• Ubrogepant (active ingredient)
• Colloidal silicon dioxide (used as a glidant, which helps the powder flow more easily during manufacturing and also improves tablet compression)
• Croscarmellose sodium (a disintegrant that helps the tablet dissolve rapidly in the gastrointestinal tract, which ensures rapid absorption of the active ingredient)
• Mannitol (a sugar alcohol used as a bulking agent to increase the tablet's size and aid in the manufacturing process)
• Microcrystalline cellulose (a filler and binder that helps to maintain the shape and structure of the tablet)
• Polyvinylpyrrolidone vinyl acetate copolymer (a binding agent that helps to hold the tablet together)
• Sodium chloride (a salt used to regulate the osmotic pressure and maintain the integrity of the tablet)
• Sodium stearyl fumarate (a lubricant used to facilitate the tablet's release from the manufacturing equipment)
• Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate (a solubilizer used to enhance the solubility of the active ingredient in the tablet)

None of these ingredients would indicate to me that crushing or splitting Ubrelvy tablets would affect the medication in any clinically significant way.

Additional Thoughts From The Pharmacist

After taking a dose of Ubrelvy, it is quickly absorbed. Peak plasma concentrations occur fairly quickly, approximately 1.5 hours after administration.

As I spoke about in the section above, none of the ingredients contained in Ubrelvy tablets, and the fact that the tablets are 'immediate-release', I wouldn't expect crushing or splitting the tablets to affect how the medication works or how quickly it is absorbed.

More likely, altering the tablets may affect the overall stability of the drug, making it more susceptible to breakdown over time from environmental factors (e.g., moisture in the air, etc...).

Nevertheless, since the manufacturer recommends not to split or crush the tablets and we lack data to indicate otherwise, I would recommend following their recommendation.

However, it is possible that you and your doctor may determine that splitting or crushing the tablets is medically necessary for your situation (e.g. if you have a feeding tube or otherwise cannot swallow whole tablets). If this is the case for you, there is nothing to me that indicates this is unsafe to do with Ubrelvy.

Just make sure that you take an entire dose at one time, and do not store crushed or split tablets for later use.

Additionally, I think it is important to point out that Ubrelvy has not been studied for safety for treating more than 8 migraines within 30 days.

I mention this in case you are considering splitting tablets to make your prescription of Ubrelvy last longer (e.g., splitting 100 mg tablets to have more 50mg doses available to you). It is important to take the medication as prescribed by your doctor.

Last but not least here, Ubrelvy tablets are not scored, so if your doctor instructs you to split them, it is important to do so carefully and evenly. I highly recommend the use of a pill splitter to assist you.

Final Words

I hope this answer helped you and gave you the insight you were looking for!

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