Tag: Xr

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), extended-release medications can be beneficial for many patients by improving adherence and reducing side effects. If you've ever seen the abbreviation XL on a prescription bottle and wondered, "**what does XL mean on meds?**", it indicates an extra-long, or extended-release, formulation designed for a longer duration of action.

According to the American Pharmacists Association, extended-release (ER) medications can provide greater convenience by reducing the number of doses a patient needs to take each day. So, what do extended-release pills do to achieve this effect, and why are they often preferred for treating chronic illnesses?

In the United States, roughly one-third of the top 200 most prescribed drugs are modified-release products [1.8.1]. When you see 'ER' or 'XR' on a prescription, it signifies an 'extended-release' formulation, a specific technology that controls how a medication is released in your body over time [1.2.1, 1.2.4].