DOSAGE COMPUTATION

The dose of a drug is 5 mg/kg of body weight. What dose should be

given to a 100-lb female patient?

1 𝑘𝑔
100 𝑙𝑏𝑠 𝑥 = 45. 45 𝑘𝑔
2.2 𝑙𝑏𝑠
5 𝑚𝑔
45.45 kg x = 227.27 𝑚𝑔
1 𝑘𝑔
The adult dose of a liquid medication is 0.1 mL/ kg body weight to be
administered as a single dose. How many teaspoonfuls should be
given to a patient weighing 220 lbs?

1 𝑘𝑔
220 lbs x = 100 kg
2.2 𝑙𝑏𝑠

0.1 𝑚𝑙
100 kg x = 10 𝑚𝑙
1 𝑘𝑔

1 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑢𝑙
10 ml x = 2 𝑡𝑠𝑝.
5 𝑚𝑙
The usual initial dose of chlorambucil is 150 mcg per kg of body
weight once a day. How many milligrams should be administered to a
person weighing 154 lbs. ?

1 𝑘𝑔
154 lbs x = 70 kg
2.2 𝑙𝑏𝑠

150 𝑚𝑐𝑔
70 kg x = 10500 mcg
1 𝑘𝑔

1 𝑚𝑔
10500 mcg x = 10.5 𝑚𝑔
1000 𝑚𝑐𝑔
If the loading dose of Kanamycin is 7 mg/kg body weight, how many
grams should be administered to a patient weighing 130 lbs?

1 𝑘𝑔
130 lbs x = 59.09 𝑘𝑔
2.2 𝑙𝑏𝑠

7 𝑚𝑔
59.09 kg x = 414 𝑚𝑔
1 𝑘𝑔

1𝑔
414 𝑚𝑔 𝑥 = 0.414 g
1000 𝑚𝑔
A physician places a patient on a daily dose of 48 units of U-80
insulin. How many milliliters should the patient inject each day?

U-80 = 80 units/ mL
80 units: 1 mL = 48 units: x mL= 0.6 mL
A physician orders Meprobamate 0.2 g. How much is to be
administered if the dose on hand is 400 mg in each tablet?

400 mg = 0.4 g

0.4 g: 1 tablet = 0.2 g: X tablet = 0.5 or ½ tablet

The physician orders 3000 mL of D5W IV over a 24-hour period. If the
IV set is calibrated to deliver 15 drops/mL, How many drops must be
administered per minute?

3000 𝑚𝐿 15 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑠 1 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟

𝑥 x = 31.25 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
24 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 1 𝑚𝑙 60 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠
The physician ordered 1200 mL D5W solution to be administered
over a 10-hr period. The IV set is calibrated to deliver 18 gtts/mL.
How many drops should be administered per minute?

1200 𝑚𝐿 18 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑠 1 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟

𝑥 𝑥 = 36 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
10 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 1 𝑚𝑙 60 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑠
A prescription is to be taken as follows:
1 tab q.i.d. the first day
1 tab t.i.d. the second day
1 tab b.i.d. for 5 days
1 tab q.d thereafter
How many tablets should be dispensed to equal a 30 day supply?
Day 1: 1 tablet x 4 = 4 tablets
Day 2: 1 tablet x 3 = 3 tablets
Day 3-7 : 1 tablet x 2 x 5 = 10 tablets
Day 8- 30: 1 tablet x 23 = 23 tablets

TOTAL 40 Tablets
If a physician prescribed Keflex, 250 mg q.i.d. x 10 days, How many
milliliters of Keflex suspension containing 250 mg per 5 mL should be
dispensed?

250 mg x 4 x 10 days = 10000 mg

250 mg: 5 mL = 10000 mg : x mL = 200 mL

Parts of a Prescription