Pharmaceutical Calculations

SYSTEMS OF MEASUREMENT
1. International System of Units
(SI)/Metric/Decimal System
2. Common Systems of Measurement
 Apothecaries’ Fluid Measure
 Apothecaries’ Measure of Weight
 Avoirdupois Measure of Weight
3. Household System of Measurement
PREFIXES AND RELATIVE VALUES OF SI
UNITS

CONVERSION
1. 1/5 gr = mg
2. 48 fl. oz. = mL
3. 2 pints = mL
4. 80 g = oz.
5. 500 mg = gr
1 gr = 65 mg
1 oz. = 28.35 g
1 pint = 473 mL
1 fl. oz. = 29.57 mL
1 gallon = 3785 mL
HOUSEHOLD SYSTEM OF MEASUREMENT
1. 1275 mg = _____ g  Least accurate system of measure but most
2. 0.08 m = mm easily understood by patients.
3. 0.032 μL = _____ mL  Basic unit is the drop orgtt
4. 455 mL = L  Official dropper: 20 gtt = 1 mL (Water)
5. 2500μg = mg
RATIO AND PROPORTION
Ratio

Proportional values

PRACTICE
PRACTICE
1. 1500 tablets are made from 0.75 g of
scopolamine hydrobromide. How many 1. A hospital pharmacist is asked to prepare an
milligrams of scopolamine hydrobromide are IV infusion of dopamine. Based on patient’s
contained in each tablet? weight, the pharmacist calculates a dose of
500 mcg/min for continuous infusion. The
concentration of a premixed dopamine
infusion is 400 mg/250 mL.
What is the concentration of the infusion on a
mcg/mL basis?

2. A hospital pharmacist is asked to prepare an

IV infusion of dopamine. Based on patient’s
weight, the pharmacist calculates a dose of
500 mcg/min for continuous infusion. The
concentration of a premixed dopamine
infusion is 400 mg/250 mL.
How many mg of dopamine will the patient
receive in the first hour of treatment?

3. A hospital pharmacist is asked to prepare an

IV infusion of dopamine. Based on patient’s
weight, the pharmacist calculates a dose of
500 mcg/min for continuous infusion. The
concentration of a premixed dopamine
infusion is 400 mg/250 mL.
How long will the infusion last?

good luck! 
- chu