Transdermal patches: an emerging mode of drug delivery system in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Transdermal Patches have been contributing important part to the pharmaceutical industry and medical practice by providing advances in delivery of treatment with existing and novel drugs. Transdermal drug delivery system has made great contribution in the medical practices but many researches are undergoing to achieve its full potential. Transdermal drug delivery system was came into existence to overcome difficulties of drug delivery especially oral route. Transdermal drug delivery refers to means of delivering drugs through the surface of the skin for local or systemic treatment. The drug functions after absorption through skin into the systemic circulation via capillary action at certain rate. Transdermal patches are now widely used as topical and transdermal delivery systems. These patches are a significant result of advancements in skin science, technology, and knowledge, which have been created via trial and error, clinical observation, and evidence-based investigations dating back to the earliest human records. A transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is applied to the skin and used to deliver a precise amount of medicine into the bloodstream via the skin. A benefit of transdermal medication administration over other forms of delivery systems such as oral, topical, intravenous (i.v.), intramuscular (i.m.), and so on is that it is non-invasive. Transdermal patches provide medication to the patient in a regulated manner, either by a porous membrane covering a reservoir of medication or by body heat melting tiny layers of drug contained in the adhesive. This review article covers the basics of transdermal patches, such as the many types of patches, how they're made, and what factors influence them, among other things. Keyword: Skin Delivery, Transdermal Drug Delivery System, Transdermal Excipients, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Sildenafil Citrate.