Which oral dosage form of medication can be crushed or chewed if needed?

Immediate-release oral medications can generally be crushed or chewed if needed. Extended-release, sustained-release, and other special-release formulations should not be crushed or chewed, as the drug will release all at once instead of slowly or over time as intended. Orally disintegrating tablets should not be crushed or chewed either, as they are intended to be absorbed through the buccal mucosa. Finally, enteric-coated formulations, such as that of aspirin, may irritate the gastric mucosa if chewed or crushed instead of swallowed whole. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices maintains a list of medications that should not be crushed or chewed.