Pharmaceutical Calculation

MIXING DIFFERENT STRENGTH

Rules:

The sum of the product

obtained by multiplying a
series of quantities by their
respective concentrations =
product
obtained
by
multiplying a concentration by
the sum of the quantities
When mixing products of
various strengths, the units
and type of percent (w/w, w/v,
v/v) must be kept constant

Example:
1. What is the percent of alcohol
in a mixture made by mixing 5
liters of 15%, 1 liter of 40%
and 1 liter of 95% alcohol?
Determine the total amount of
alcohol in the solutions and
the total amount of solution (1
liter=1000 mL).
Assume additivity of volumes
on mixing
0.15 x 5000 mL = 750
mL
0.40 x 1000 mL = 400
mL
0.95 x 1000 mL = 950
mL
7000 mL 2100
mL

Determine the % of alcohol in

the mixture. There is a total of

2100 mL of alcohol in 700 mL

of the total solution.
2100 mL : 7000 mL :: x mL :
100 mL
X= 30 mL

Because 30 mL of the alcohol

are in 100 mL, a 30% solution
is formed.

2. %v/v of volume of pure

alcohol?

%v/v

3. What % of a drug contained in

a mixture of powder consisting
of 300 g containing 0.042%
(w/w) of a drug & 200 g
containing 0.057% (w/w)?
0.042% x 300 g
=
0.126 g
0.057% x 2000 g = 1.14
g
2300 g
1.266
g

% w/w

1.266 g
x 100=0.055
2300 g

Pharmaceutical Calculation
POSOLOGY
Dose for Children

Regulated according to the age or weight, a fraction of the adult dose

being given.

RULE FOR INFANTS AND CHILDRENS DOSES

Youngs Rule (Children 2 years and older)

chil d ' s dose ( ) =

Clarkss Rule
** 1 kg = 2.2 lbs

chil d ' s dose ( ) =

Age ( year )
x adult dose
Age ( year ) +12

Weight (lbs)
x adult dose
150

Frieds Rule (for infants up to 2 years old)

chil d ' s dose ( ) =

Age ( months )
x adult dose
150

Pharmaceutical Calculation
RULES FOR CALCULATING DOSAGE ON RX ORDERS

Amount of an ingredient / dose in a compound Rx order is equal to the:

total amount of ingredient prescribed

number of doses

Total amount of the ingredients used to compound a Rx order is equal to

the:
amount/ dose prescribed x total number of doses

On Rx orders, when the instructions to the pharmacist include the

expression D.T.D. no (i.e. sendsuch doses) is equal to the:
dose (amount of drug) stated in the order x number indicated in the
expression, D.T.D. No.

The Square Meter Surface Area Method relates the surface area of
individual to dose. It is thought that this may be a more realistic way of
relating dosages:

chil d ' sdose ( )=

body surface area of child

x adult dose
body surface area of adult

The average body surface area of an adult has been given as 1.73
square meters (m2); hence,

chil d

'

sdose ( )=

body surface area of child (m2)

x adult dose
1.73 m2

The body surface area for individuals may be found in various

reference sources and in drug dosage data.

Many drugs have doses stated as so much drug/m 2 body surface area and
may be calculated as follows:
Individuals dose = amount of drug/m2 x body surface area (m2)

Drug doses are often stated in mg/kg body weight and may be calculated
as follows:

Individuals dose = amount of dose in mg/kg x body weight(kg)

Drug doses may also be stated in units (international units IU)
o E.g., vitamin A and D, antibiotics and hormones.
o Means that a certain quantity of biologic activity of that drug
is called one (1) unit.

Term units is used in connection with a drug

o Calculations involved are the same as those for more familiar
weight or volume notations
USP often standardizes the unit for such drugs so that the expression USP
Units is used.
o Calculated based on a USP assay procedure and a reference
standard

Examples:
1. 24 caps of AtSO4 each contain 1/250 gr are to be made. How many tabs.
AtSO4 0.5 mg are needed to compound the Rx?

1/250 gr = 0.004 gr x

65 mg
1 gr

= 0.26 mg X 24 = 6.24 mg

0.26 mg (24) = 0.5 mg (x)

X=

0.26(24)
0.5 mg

= 12.48 or 13

DO NOT ROUND UP DAW (di ko rin gets kung bakit niya

niround up pero kasi sabi niya dun sa nagsosolve na ng
seatwork do not round up)
2. An antibiotic is available as an ing. Containing 40 mg/mL. How many mL
are needed for a child weighing 35 kg, the dose being 2.4 mg/kg of BW?
2.4mg : 1 kg = x : 35 kg
x = 84 mg
40 mg :1 mL = 84 mg : X
X = 2.1 mL

Pharmaceutical Calculation
MILLIEQUIVALENT (mEq)

Quantities of electrolytes administered to patients

1/1000 of an equivalent (Eq)

eq . wt .
1000

mEq =

Equivalent weight grams of atom or radical / valence of an atom or radical

Equivalent weight = formula weight/valence H +/OH-/total + or
Citrate
C6H5O7-3
Lactate
C3H5O3Biphosphate
H2PO4- HPO4-2
Tartrate
C4H4O6-2
Acetate
C2H302Gluconate
C6H11O7Oxalate
C2O4-2
Water of hydration contributes to the MW of a compound but not the valence
and the total MW is used to calculate mEq
Example:
1. NaCl --> Na+ + Cl1 mEq NaCl = 1 mEq Na+ + 1 mEq ClMM = Na+ = 27
Cl- = 35.5
58.5 g/n
mEq wt =

eq . wt
1 x 1000

58.5
1 x 1000

Eq. wt. =

23+ 35.5
1

58.5
1

2. Al

+3

27
3 x 1000

3
6
5
7

= 58.5

= 0.009g/mEq = 9mg/mEq

3. Na3C6H5O7
Na
C
H
O

= 0.0585 g/mEq = 58.5 mg/mEq

x 23 = 69
x 12
= 72
x1 =5
X 16 = 112
258 g/n

mEq wt=

258 g /n
3 x 1000

= 0.086 g/mEq = 86 mg/mEq

Problems:
1. Calcium (Ca+2) has a gram-atomic weight of 40.08. What is the mEq wt?
Determine the Eq. wt:
Eq. wt. =

gram atomic weight

=
valence

Determine the mEq wt.:

eq . wt .
1000

mEq. wt. =

20.04 g
1000

40.08 g
2

= 20.04 g

= 0.02004 g = 20.04 mg

or

40.08 g
= 0.02004g = 20.04 mg
2 x 1000

2. A solution that contains 409.5 mg of NaCl/100 mL has how many mEq of

Na+ and Cl-?
mEq wt of NaCl 58.5 mg
mEq =

409.5 mg
58.5 mg/mEq = 7 mEq

mEq wt =

eq . wt .
1 x 1000

58.5
1 x 1000 = 0.0585 g/mEq = 58.5 mg/mEq

3. An Rx order calls for a 500 mL solution of KCl to be made so that it will

contain 400 mEq of K+. How many grams of KCl (MW=74.5) are needed?
Eq wt =

gmol wt 74.5 g
=
valence
1

mEq of KCl =

eq wt
1000

= 74.5 g

74.5 g
1000

= 0.0745 g = 74.5 mg

1 mEq of KCl yields 1 mEq of K+; 400 mEq of KCl yields to 400 mEq K+:

74.5 mg KCl
x 400 mEq
mEq

= 29800 mg or 29.8 g

= dissolve 29.8 g of KCl in sufficient purified water to make 500 mL.

This solution will yield 400 mEq of Potassium
4. How many mEq of K+ are in a 250 mg tablet of potassium phenoxymethyl
penicillin (MW:388.5; valence:1)?
Eq wt =
mEq wt =

gmol wt
valence
Eq . wt
1000

=
=

388.5 g
= 388.5 g
1

388.5 g
=0.3885 g
1000

= 388.5 mg

250 mg/tablet
=0.644 mEq K
388.5 mg/mEq

/tablet

5. How many mEq of Mg are there in 10 mL of a 50% MgSO 4 injection? The

MW of MgSO4.7H2O is 246.
a. 50% solution means 5 g MgSO4.7H2O in 10 mL
b. Eq wt =

gmol wt
valence

c. Total mEq =

246 g
2

5g
0.123 g /mEq

= 123 g or 0.123 g/mEq

= 40.7 mEq in the 10 mL

Pharmaceutical Calculation
SOLUTIONS
1. The physician orders 3000 mL of D5W IV over a 24-hour period. If the IV
set is calibrated to deliver 15 gtts/mL, how many gtts must be
administered/min?
Drop rate = 15 gtts/mL
24 hrs x

60 mins
1 hour

3000 mL x

= 1440 mins

15 gtts
mL

= 45000 gtts

45000 gtts: 1440 mins = x: 1 min

X = 31.25 gtts/min
2. The physician ordered 1.5 L LR solution over a 12 hour period, the IV set is
calibrated to deliver 10 gtts/mL. How many gtts/min should the pt.
receive?
1500 mL x

10 gtts
mL

= 15000 gtts/720 mins

15000 : 720 mins = x : 1 min

X = 20.83 gtts/min

3. The physician orders 1200 mL D5W solution to be administered over a 10

hr period. The IV set is calibrated to deliver 18 gtts/mL. Calculate the
gtts/min?
1200 x

18 gtts
mL

21600 gtts
600 mins

= 21600 gtts/600 mins

x
1 min

X = 36 gtts/min
4. How long will it take to complete an IV infusion of 1.5 L D5W ( 45 gtts/
min), 15 gtts/mL

1500 mL x

15 gtts
= 22500 gtts
mL

22500 gtts : x = 45 gtts : 1 min

X = 500 mins
500 mins x

1 hour
=8.73 hours
60 mins .