DOSAGE CALCULATION

Topics:

 Conversions
 Oral Liquids
 Capsules & Tablets
 IV Boluses
 IV Flow Rates (gtts/min, ml/hr)
 IV Infusion Time
Metric Number Prefixes
 In order to remember the proper movement of units, arrange the
prefixes from the largest to the smallest.

 Thus, the conversion from one unit to the other unit is done by
multiplying or dividing the powers of 10.

 Now, let us discuss some of the units for length, weight, volume,
and time.
Length:

 The most common units used to measure the length are as

follows:

Kilometer Hectometer Decameter Meter (m) Decimeter Centimeter Millimeter

(km) (hm) (dam) (dm) (cm) (mm)

1000 100 10 1 1/10 1/100 1/1000



Volume or Capacity
 The most common units used to measure the
capacity or volume of any object are as follows:

Kiloliter Hectoliter Decaliter Liter (l) Deciliter Centiliter Milliliter

(kl) (hl) (dal) (dl) (cl) (ml)

1000 100 10 1 1/10 1/100 1/1000

Weight

 The most common units used to measure the

weight of any object are as follows:
Kilogram Hectogra Decagram Gram (g) Decigram Centigram Milligram
(kg) m (hg) (dag) (dg) (cg) (mg)

1000 100 10 1 1/10 1/100 1/1000



Time

 To calculate the time, the base unit is second. Now, let us

discuss some other units of time.
 1 minute = 60 seconds
 1 hour = 60 minutes
 1 day = 24 hours
 1 week = 7 days
 1 month = 30 or 31 days (Note: February has 28 days,
but in leap year February has 29 days)
 1 year = 12 months (or)
 1 year = 365 days (But, in leap year, 1 year = 366
days)
 Whether you want to measure very small or very big things,
You can go for metric number prefixes—for example- kilo and
milli.
Metric System Conversion
 We can follow different methods for metric conversions. The
below metric conversion chart shows the conversion of Metric
Units to Metric Units for Length.
Conversion Ratio
Important Things to Remember
Measurement Conversion
 Metric System Equivalents
 1 gram (g) = 1000 milligrams (mg)
 1000 grams = 1 kilogram (kg)
 .001 milligram = 1 microgram (mcg)
 1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (ml)
 1 milliliter = 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
 1 meter = 100 centimeters (cm)
 1 meter = 1000 millimeters (mm)
Conversion Equivalents
Volume
 1 milliliter = 15 minims (M) = 15 drops (gtt)
 5 milliliters = 1 fluidram = 1 teaspoon (tsp)
 15 milliliters = 4 fluidrams = 1 tablespoon (T)
 30 milliliters = 1 ounce (oz) = 2 tablespoons
 500 milliliters = 1 pint (pt)
 1000 milliliters = 1 quart (qt)
Weight
 1 kilogram = 2.2 pound (lb)
 1 gram (g) = 1000 milligrams = 15 grains (gr)
 0.6 gram = 600 milligrams = 10 grains
 0.5 gram = 500 milligrams = 7.5 grains
 0.3 gram = 300 milligrams = 5 grains
 0.06 gram = 60 milligrams = 1 grain
Length
Centigrade/Fahrenheit Conversions

 C = (F - 32) X 5/9
 F = (C X 9/5) + 32
Example 2:
Example 3:
Dosage Calculation Metric Table
1,000 micrograms (mcg) = 1 1 milliliter (mL)=1 cubic
milligram (mg) centimeter (cc)
1,000 grams (G) = 1 kilogram 1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5 milliliters
(kg) ( mL)
1,000 milligrams (mg)=1 gram 1,000 milliliters (mL)= 1 liter
(G) (L)
2.2 pounds (lbs) = 1kilogram 3 teaspoons (tsp) =1 table
(kg) spoon (Tbsp)
30 milliliters (mL) = 1 ounce 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) = 15
(oz) milliliters (mL)
2 tablespoons (Tbsp) = 1 ounce
(oz)
Basics Conversion
Use of One Conversion Factor:
 To convert from one unit to another, begin
with the unit assigned. Next find a conversion
 factor that relates the unit assigned to the unit
needed. Then multiply the unit assigned by the
 found conversion factor. This calculation
results in the new unit.
Use of Multiple Conversion Factors:
.
 If a conversion factor for the two units does not
exist, then proceed through another unit
to obtain the unit needed
Example 7:
Dose definition
 The dose of a drug is the quantitative amount
administered or taken by a patient for the
intended medical effect.
 The dose may be expressed as a single dose,
the amount taken at one time; a daily dose ; or
a total dose, the amount taken during the
course of therapy.
 A daily dose may be subdivided and taken in
divided dose, two or more times per day
depending on the characteristics of the drug
and the illness.
 The schedule of dosing ( e.i. four times per day
for 10 days) is referred to as the dosage regimen.
 Quantitatively, drug dose vary greatly among
drug substances; some drugs have small doses,
other drugs have relatively large doses.
Doses
General Dose Calculation
 A pharmacist often needs to calculate the size of a dose,
the number of dose, or the total quantity of medication to
dispense.
 For these calculation the following equation is useful
with the terms rearranged depending on the answer
required.
 In using the equation, the units of weight or volume must
be the same for the total quantity and the size of dose.
 Exercise 1
 If 1 tablespoon is prescribed as the dose
approximately how many dose will be contained
in 1 pint of the medicine?
Oral Liquid Medication
 Example 8
 The doctor writes an order for a medication that’s in
an oral suspension. The order reads to administer 50
mg by mouth every 4 hours as needed for pain.
You’re dispensed with a bottle that reads 25 mg/2mL
 Question.
 How many teaspoon will you administer per dose?
Example 8 cont.
 Given:
Order 50 mg q 4 hrs
 Supplied: 25 mg/2mL
 Required:
 How many tsp/dose will you administer?
Example 8 cont.
Capsules and Tablets
 Example 9.
 The doctor writes an order for a medication. The
order reads: Administer 0.5 mg by mouth daily.
You’re dispensed with a bottle that says 100 mcg
per tablet.
 Question:
 How many tablets will you administer per dose?
Example 9 cont.
IV Boluses
 Example 10
 The doctor writes an order for an IV medication
that reads: Administer 1 mg IV now. You’re
dispensed with a vial that contains 0.4 mg/ mL.
 Question.
 How many mL will you draw up to administer?
Example 10 cont.
 Given:
 Order: 1 mg nav IV
 Supplied: 0.4 mg/ mL
 Required:
 ______ ml/dose
Example 10 cont.
IV Flow Rates (gtts/min)
 Example 11
 The doctor writes an order to infuse a solution. The
order reads: Infuse 2 L of D5 ½ Normal saline wioth
50 meq Potassium Chloride over 48 hours. The drip
gfactor is 15 gtts/mL
 Question:
 How many drops per minute (gtts/min) will be
administer?
Example 11 cont.
 Given:
 Order: 2L (over 48 hrs)
 Drip factor: 15 grrs/ mL
 Required:
 _______ gtts/min
Example 11 cont.
IV Flow Rates (mL/hr)
 Example 12
 The doctor writes an order to infuse a solution.
The order reads: Infuse 2 L 0f D5 ½ Normal
Saline over 48 hrs.
 Question:
 What is the hourly rate (mL/hr)?
Example 12 Cont.
 Given:
 Order: Infuse 2 mL of D5 ½ Normal Saline over
48 hrs.
 Required:
 Hourly rate flow (mL/hr)?
Example 12 cont.
IV Flow Rate (Infusion Time)
 Example 13
 The doctor writes an order to infuse a solution.
The order reads: Infuse 2L of Normal Saline at
150 mL/hr. You start the infusion at 0800.
 Question
 At what time will the infusion be completed?
Example 13 cont.
 Given:
 Order: Infuse 2L of Normal Saline at 150 mL/hr.
You start the infusion at 0800.
 Required:
 Time the 2L is completed
Example 13 Cont.
Weight-Based Calculation
 Example 14
 The doctor orders an IV weight-based medication
to be infused at 2 mcg/kg/min. The patient weight
130 lbs.
 You are supplied with a bag of the IV medication
that reads 250mg/250 mL.
 How many mL/hr will you administer?
Example 14 cont.
 Given:
 Order: Infused at 2 mcg/kg/min.
 The patient weight 130 lbs.
 Supplied: a bag of the IV medication that reads
250mg/250 mL.
 Required: How many mL/hr will you administer?
Example 14 Cont.
Heparin Calculation
 Example 15
 The doctor orders your patient to start an IV Heparin
drip at 5 units/kg/hr and to administer a loading bolus
dose of 10 units/kg IV before initiation of the drip.
 You’re supplied with a Heparin bag that reads 12,500
units/250 mL. The patient weighs 110 lbs.
 What is the flow rate you will set the IV pump rate
(mL/hr)?
Example 15 cont.
 Given:
 Order:
 Supplied:
 Weight:
 Required: _____ mL/hr
Example 15 cont.
Pediatric Safe Dosage
 Example 16
 The doctor ordered an IV drip for a child that
weighs 78 lbs. The safe dosage range for the
ordered medication is 5-10 mcg/kg/min.
 What is the safe dosage range for this child?
Example 16 cont.
 Given:
 The safe dosage range for the ordered
medication is 5-10 mcg/kg/min.
 Weight: 78 lbs
 Required:
 Safe dosage range: _______ mcg/min
Example 16 cont.
Drug Reconstitution
 Reconstituted means- to restored to its original
state by the addition of water.
 Example 16
 The doctor order 10 mg of a by-mouth
medication that needs to be reconstituted.
Instruction on the 0.25 g container say to
reconstitute with water to make a
concentration of 0.5 g/ 3mL
 You would administer _____ milliliters per dose.
Example 17 cont.
 Given
 Order: 10 mg/dose
 Reconstituted: 0.5g/3mL @ 0.25g container
 Required: ______ mL/dose
Example 17 cont.
Tube Feeding Calculation
 Example 18
 The patient is ordered Jevity 1.2 cal. You’re
supplied with a can of Jevity that contains 237
mL of feeding formula. The doctor orders the
tube feeding to be administered at a ¾ strength
with a rate of 50 mL/hr.
 How many mL of water will you add to dilute
the tube feeding formula as prescribed?
Example 18 cont.
 Given
 Order: ¾ strength
 Supplied: 237 mL/can
 Required: ______mL of water
Example 18 cont.
Body Surface Area Calculation
 Example 19
 A pediatric patient is ordered a medication dose
of 10 mg/m2/day by mouth for 7 days. The patient
weighs 46 lbs. and is 3 feet 9 inches.
 What is the daily dose of medication the patient
will receive?
Example 19 cont.
Example 19 cont.
Calculating Drug Dosages
 When performing drug calculations, one of the
following four methods should be used:
 Ratio (Rainbow) Method, Proportion Method,
Formula Method, or Dimensional Analysis.
 Each of these methods works as well as the
others.
 However, once the you decides which method is
the most comfortable for them, you should stick
with that method and not switch back and forth
between the different methods
Ratio (Rainbow):

 Step one: Set up ratios.

 Step two: Multiply means and extremes
 Step three: Solve for “x” algebraically.
Proportion:

 Step one: Set up proportions

 Step two: Cross multiply
 Step three: Solve for “x” algebraically
Formula:
 Use drug calculations when calculating the
quantity of medications needed for a patient and
the strength of medication is already known.
Example 20:
 If the doctor orders 20 mg of Benadryl, and 10
mg tablets are available, how many tablets should
be given to the patient?
Ratio (Rainbow) Method
Proportion Method
 Step one: Set up proportions
 10 mg = 20 mg
 1 tab x tab
 Step two: Cross multiply
 10 mg • x tab = 20 mg • 1 tab
 Step three: Solve for “x” algebraically
 x tab = 20 mg • 1 tab x = 2 tablets
 10 mg
DOSAGE CALCULATION