1. An oral dosage unit comprising:
(a) an antihistamine in an amount and formulation to exhibit antihistaminic activity in a human for greater than 22 hours; and
(b) a decongestant in an amount and formulation to exhibit stimulatory activity in a human for less than 16 hours.
2. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1 wherein said decongestant is in an amount and formulation to exhibit decongestant activity in a human for less than 16 hours.
3. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1 wherein said decongestant is formulated to release said decongestant non-linearly such that discontinuity of release occurs between 12 and 16 hours and some portion of decongestant is released beyond 12 hours.
4. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said decongestant is pseudoephedrine.
5. An oral dosage unit according to claim 4 wherein said pseudoephedrine is present in an amount of 120 mg or less.
6. An oral dosage unit according to claim 3 wherein said decongestant is pseudoephedrine.
7. An oral dosage unit according to claim 6 wherein said pseudoephedrine is present in an amount of 120 mg to 160 mg, formulated so that up to 120 mg is released within 12 hours of administration.
8. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said decongestant is phenylpropanolamine.
9. An oral dosage unit according to claim 8 wherein said phenylpropanolamine is present in an amount of 75 mg or less.
10. An oral dosage unit according to claim 3 wherein said decongestant is phenylpropanolamine.
11. An oral dosage unit according to claim 10 wherein said phenylpropanolamine is present in an amount of 75 mg to 100 mg, formulated so that up to 75 mg is released within 12 hours of administration.
12. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said antihistamine is loratidine, descarboethoxyloratidine or cetirizine.
13. An oral dosage unit according to claim 12 wherein said loratidine is present in an amount of 10 mg or more.
14. An oral dosage unit according to claim 12 wherein said descarboethoxyloratidine or cetirizine is present in an amount of 5 mg or more.
15. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said antihistamine is astemizole.
16. An oral dosage unit according to claim 15 wherein said astemizole is present in an amount of 10 mg or more.
17. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said antihistamine is norastemizole.
18. An oral dosage unit according to claim 17 wherein said norastemizole is present in an amount of 10 mg or more.
19. An oral dosage unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said antihistamine is fexofenadine.
20. An oral dosage unit according to claim 19 wherein said fexofenadine is present in an amount of 120 mg or more.
21. A kit for treating rhinitis in a human comprising:
(a) an oral dosage form containing an amount of an antihistamine to exhibit antihistaminic activity in a human for greater than 22 hours;
(b) an oral dosage form containing an amount of a decongestant to exhibit stimulatory activity in a human for less than 16 hours; and
(c) instructions to administer the antihistamine and decongestant at the start of the day.
22. A kit according to claim 21 wherein the antihistamine and the decongestant are combined in a single oral dosage unit.
23. A method of providing treatment for rhinitis in a human comprising:
(a) formulating an amount of an antihistamine to exhibit antihistaminic activity in a human for greater than 22 hours;
(b) formulating an amount of a decongestant to exhibit stimulatory activity in a human for less than 16 hours;
(c) combining the antihistamine and the decongestant in a single oral dosage unit; and
(d) providing instructions to administer the oral dosage unit at the start of the day.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A pierceable cap configured to close an open end of a fluid-holding vessel, the cap having a solid, downwardly depending inner wall comprising a plurality of spaced-apart grooves defined by a top surface thereof, wherein the cap is capable of being pierced by a plastic pipette tip, and wherein the grooves facilitate the formation of air passageways between a pipette tip and the inner wall as the cap is being penetrated by the pipette tip.
2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the grooves of the inner wall have a generally radial arrangement.
3. The cap of claim 1, wherein the inner wall has a conical shape.
4. The cap of claim 1 further comprising a seal covering an opening in the cap above the inner wall, the seal being adapted to be pierced by the pipette tip.
5. The cap of claim 4, wherein the seal comprises a foil or plastic film.
6. The cap of claim 1, wherein the cap is formed from a molded plastic.
7. A collection device comprising a fluid-holding vessel closed by the cap of claim 1, thereby providing a substantially leak-proof seal.
8. The collection device of claim 7, wherein the collection device contains a specimen-retrieval device having a proximal portion positioned between the inner wall of the cap and a side wall of the vessel.
9. The collection device of claim 8, wherein the specimen-retrieval device comprises a swab.
10. The collection device of claim 8, wherein the inner wall has a conical shape.
11. A method for accessing the contents of the collection device of claim 7, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) piercing the inner wall of the cap with a plastic pipette tip, thereby forming air passageways between the inner wall and the pipette tip, the air passageways permitting displaced air to be vented from within the collection device;
(b) drawing a fluid present in the vessel into the pipette tip; and
(c) removing the pipette tip from the collection device.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the grooves of the inner wall have a generally radial arrangement.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the inner wall has a conical shape.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the cap comprises a seal covering an opening in the cap above the inner wall, the seal being pierced by the pipette tip during step (a).
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the seal comprises a foil or plastic film.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the cap is formed from a molded plastic.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the collection device contains a specimen-retrieval device having a proximal portion positioned between the inner wall of the cap and a side wall of the vessel.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the specimen-retrieval device comprises a swab.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the inner wall has a conical shape.
20. The method of claim 11 further comprising subjecting the fluid removed from the collection device in step (c) to a nucleic acid-based amplification procedure.