Medications that separate and require shaking before use are called?

• A. Suspensions
• B. Solutions
• C. Tinctures
• D. Spirits

Answer: (A)

This item tests understanding of dosage forms that separate into layers and must be shaken to re-create a uniform mixture. Medications in a suspension have tiny solid particles dispersed in a liquid but not dissolved. Because the particles are heavier than the liquid, they gradually settle, so shaking re-suspends them to restore an even distribution before dosing. If you don’t shake, your dose could contain fewer or more particles than intended, leading to underdosing or overdosing. In contrast, solutions are fully dissolved and stay uniformly mixed without shaking, while tinctures and spirits are alcohol-based extracts that are typically homogeneous and don’t require shaking to maintain uniformity. The key idea is that shaking is needed to re-disperse settled particles in a suspension to ensure each dose is consistent.