CalculatingDrugDosages

CalculatingDosesfromPreparedStrengthLiquids,Tablets,andCapsules
CalculatingWithProportions
Steps:
1. Converttoaconsistentunitofmeasure.
2. Setupaproportion:
Originaldose=Desireddose
Peramount
Peramount
3. Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x).
Example1:Tablets
Howmanytabletsareneededtodeliver500mgofTylenol?
Originaldose=250mg
Peramount=1tablet
Desireddose=500mg
Peramount=unknown(x)
1. Setupaproportion:
250mg=500mg
1tab
xtab
2.Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x):
250x=500
x=500/250=2
Answer:2tabletsareneededtodeliver500mgofTylenol

Example2:Solutions
Howmanymillilitersofelixirareneededtodeliver15mgofPhenobarbital?
Originaldose=120mg
Peramount=30ml

Desireddose=15mg
Peramount=xml
1.Setupaproportion:
120mg=15mg
30ml
xml
2.Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x):
120x=450
x=450/120=3.75ml
Answer:3.75mlareneededtodeliver15mgoftheelixir
I.

DrugAmountsinUnits
Somedrugsaremanufacturedinunits(U)ratherthaningramsormilligrams.
Note:Aunitdoesnothaveastandardmetricequivalent.Themetric
equivalent(milligrams,etc.)variesforeachdrug.Examplesarepenicillin,
insulinandheparin.Solvingdoseproblemsforthesedrugsisexactlythe
sameasforotherdosageunitsexceptthatunit(U)issubstitutedfor
milligrams(mg).
Example3:Units
Howmanymillilitersareneededtodeliver500Uofheparin?
Originaldose=120mg
Peramount=30ml
Desireddose=15mg
Peramount=xml
1. Setupaproportion:
1000U=500U
1ml
xml
2.Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x):
1000x=500
x=500/1000=0.5ml

Answer:0.5mlareneededtodeliver500unitsofheparin

II.

CalculationsWithaDosageSchedule

Therearetimeswhenthedoseofadrugmustbeobtainedfromaschedule,
whichmaybebasedonthesizeoftheperson.Thedosemaybepresented
inmg/kgofbodyweight.Thismeansthatthedosemustfirstbecalculated
afterthebodyweightisobtained,andthentheamountofthedrug
preparationneededcanbecalculated.
Steps:
1. Calculatethedoseneeded
2. Converttoaconsistentunitofmeasure
3. Setupaproportion
Originaldose=Desireddose
Peramount
Peramount
4. Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x)
Example4:DosageSchedule
Usingadosagescheduleof0.1mg/kgforalbuterolsyrup,andaprepared
strengthmixtureof2mg/5ml,howmuchofthesyrupisneededfora30kg
child?
1. Calculatethedoseneeded:
Dose=0.1mg/kgx20kg=3.0mg
2. Setupaproportion:
Originaldose=2.0mg
Peramount=5ml
Desireddose=3.0mg
Peramount=xml
3. Setupaproportion,crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x):
2.0mg=3.0mg
5mlxml

2x=15
x=7.5
Answer:7.5mlareneededtodeliver3.0mgofalbuterolsyruptothischild

III.

CalculatingDosesFromPercentageStrengthSolutions
a. Terms:
i. Solutetheactiveingredient(solidorliquid)
ii. Solventtheliquidthatdissolvesthesolute(sterileH2O,NS)
iii. Solutionasolutewhichisdissolvedinasolvent
iv. Strengththepercentageofsolutetototalsolventandsolute
v. Percentagepartsoftheactiveingredient(solute)ina
preparationscontainedin100partsofthetotalpreparation(solute
andsolvent)
b. TypesofPercentagePreparations:
i. WeighttoWeight:Percentinweight(W/W)expressesthenumber
ofgramsofadrugoractiveingredientin100mlofamixture:
1. W/W:Gramsper100gofmixture
ii. WeighttoVolume(mostcommon):Percentmaybeexpressedfor
thenumberofgramsofadrugoractiveingredientin100mlofa
mixture:
1. W/V:Gramsper100mlofmixture
iii. VolumetoVolume:Percentexpressesthenumberofmillilitersof
drugoractiveingredientin100mlofamixture:
1. V/V:Millilitersper100mlofamixture
c. CalculatingwithPercentStrengthSolutions
Steps:
1. Convertthepercentsolutiontometricunits(mg/1ml)
UsefulTrick:PercentSolutionscanbequicklyconvertedtomilligrams
per1milliliterbymovingthedecimaloneplacetotheright:
Example:2%solution,movethedecimaloneplacetotheright,
2.0. mg/1ml=20mg/1ml
2. Setupaproportionandsubstituteknowns
Originaldose=Desireddose
Peramount
Peramount

3. Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x)
4. Expressanswerintheunitsrequested
Example5:PercentStrengthSolution
Howmanymilligramsofactiveingredientarein3mlofa0.083%of
albuterol(unitdose)?
1. Converttometricunits(mg/1ml):
0.083%=0.083g=83mg=0.83mg
100ml100ml1ml
2.Setupaproportion:
0.83mg= x
1ml3ml
3. Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x):
x=0.83*3
x=2.49mg
Answer:Thereare2.5mgofactiveingredientinaunitdoseof
albuterol.
d. SolutionsByRatio
i. Frequentlywhendilutingamedicationforuseinanaerosol
treatment,asolutetosolventratioisgiven(1:200,1:1000)
Example5:SolutionsbyRatio
Howmanymilligramsofactiveingredientarein2mlofa1:200solutionof
isoproterenol?
1. Converttometricunits(mg/1ml):
a. Convertto%solution
i. 1:200=1/200=0.005x100=0.5%
b. Then,converttometricunits(mg/1ml)
i. 0.5%=0.5g =500mg=5mg
100ml 100ml1ml
2.Alternatemethodtoconverttometricunits(mg/1ml)
a. 1:200=1g/200ml=1000mg/200ml=10mg/2ml=5mg/1ml
3.Setupaproportion:

5mg= x
1ml2ml
4. Crossmultiplyandsolvefortheunknown(x):
x=5*2
x=10mg
Answer:Thereare10mgofactiveingredientina1:200solutionof
isoproterenol.

IV.

SolvingDilutionsWithaDiluteSolute
a. Whentheactiveingredient,orsoluteisalreadydilutedandlessthanpure,
thefollowingequationisused:
C1 *V1 =C2 *V2
SolvingforV2:
V2 =C1 *V1
C2
Where:
C1 =desiredconcentration(indecimals)
V1 =desiredtotalvolume(mL)
C2 =concentrationofsolutiononhand
V2 =volumeofsolutionneededfordilution
Steps:
1. Substituteknownvariables:
a. Concentrationofthesolutionasadecimal
i. 20%solution=20/100=0.20
b. Volume(ml)
2. Solvefortheunknownvariable(V2)
3. Determinetheamountofdiluent(normalsaline,sterileH2O)needed
a. TotalsolutionamountV2
Example:DilutionswithaDiluteSolute
Howmuch20%Mucomystisneededtoprepare5mlofa10%
Mucomyst?

1. Substitutetheknownvariables:
C1 =0.10
V1 =5ml
C2 =0.20
V2=unknown
2.Solvefortheunknownvariable(V2):
V2 =0.10*5 =0.5=2.5ml
0.20
0.2
3.Determinetheamountofdiluentneeded:
TotalsolutionamountV2 =amountofdiluentneeded
5ml2.5ml=2.5mldiluent
Answer:2.5mlof20%Mucomystand2.5mlnormalsalinearemixed
toprepare5mlofa10%solutionofMucomyst

***Note:Studentsarenotresponsibleforcalculatingintravenousinfusionrates.