Electrical apparatus for heating to a desired temperature for improved administration of pharmaceutically active compounds

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for improving administration of drugs through the use of heat and other physical means. The present invention relates to the use of heat and other physical means in conjunction with specially designed dermal drug delivery systems, conventional commercial dermal drug delivery systems, or drugs delivered into a sub-skin depot site via injection and other methods to alter, mainly increase, the drug release rate from the dermal drug delivery systems or the depot sites to accommodate certain clinical needs.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for facilitating the absorption of a pharmaceutical through human skin comprising the steps of: 
 administering a pharmaceutical through a portion of skin, and    placing an exothermic heating means proximate said portion of skin to increase the temperature on and around said portion of skin by heating to within a safe, pre-designed, narrow temperature range for a safe, pre-designed length of time, said exothermic heating means comprising a predetermined amount of iron powder and water disposed in a chamber.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said step of placing an exothermic heating means proximate said portion of skin increases the solubility of said pharmaceutical in said formulation to increase transdermal absorption of said pharmaceutical.  
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein said pharmaceutical is delivered by a dermal drug delivery system.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of placing an exothermic heating means proximate said portion of skin boosts the absorption of said pharmaceutical from a dermal drug delivery system.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of placing an exothermic heating means proximate said portion of skin increases the speed of release of said pharmaceutical from a dermal drug delivery system.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said safe, pre-designed length of time is sufficient to cause an increase in the quantity of said pharmaceutical transported from the dermal drug delivery system into a targeted site in a patient's body within the first four hours of heating.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said safe, pre-designed length of time is sufficient to cause less than about a 90% increase in the transport of an active ingredient from said pharmaceutical.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said heating said membrane increases the absorption of said pharmaceutical.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said skin and surrounding tissues are heated to a temperature range between about 37° to 50° centigrade.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical has a solubility that can be increased by increasing the temperature of said pharmaceutical to within a range of about 37° to about 50° centigrade.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical's absorption into skin is limited by a rate limiting membrane in a dermal drug delivery system.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of administering a pharmaceutical comprises applying a dermal drug delivery system on human skin to deliver said pharmaceutical to a storage site within the skin and surrounding tissues, for subsequent delivery of said pharmaceutical from the storage site into systemic circulation.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of administering said pharmaceutical comprises disposing said pharmaceutical within at least one storage site in a patient's skin and said heating controls the speed transport of said pharmaceutical from said storage site.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said heating increases the temperature of storage sites.