Drug Calculations

Abbreviations
cc- cubic centimeter DD- Desired Dose gm- gram gtt- drop/drops IM- Intramuscular IO- Intraosseous IV- Intravenous IVP- Intravenous Push
Kg- Kilogram L- Liter mcg- microgram mEq- milliequivalant mg- milligram mL- milliliter g- microgram gtt- micro drop
KG, G, MG, MCG

To convert if going from large value to smaller value, move the decimal point 3 places to the right for each conversion. If going from smaller value to larger value, move the decimal point 3 places to the left for each conversion. 3.0 Kg = 3000. g = 3000 g 3.0 Kg = 3000000. = 3,000,000 mg 3.0 Kg = 30000000 00. = 3,000,000,000 mcg
There are two methods that may be used to convert pounds to Kg: Lbs./ 2.2 = Kg 3 a.m. rule-(Lbs./ 2) 10% = Kg Therefore, if you need to convert Kg to Lbs: Kg x 2.2 = Lbs. or (Kg x 2) + 10% = Lbs.
A mLand a cc have the same value. Therefore: 1 mL= 1 cc 500 mL= 500 cc .5 cc = .5 mL 400 cc = 400 mL
1 Gram (g) = 1000 mg 1 milligram (mg) = 1000 micrograms (mcg) 1 micrograms (mcg) = 1000 nanograms (ng)
1 Litre (l) = 1000 millilitres (ml)
Weights and Measures

Metric system Apothecary system Common Household system
Metric system
Basic Units
Meter (m) Gram (g, Gm) Liter (L, l)
*kilo (k) = 1,000 x more hecto = 100 x more deca = 10 x more 1 deci = 10 x less *centi (c) = 100 x less *milli (m) = 1,000 x less *micro (mc, ) = 1,000,000 x less
Apothecary
Weight
480 grains = 1 oz 12 oz = 1 lb (1.0 grain = 60 mg)
Volume 1 dram = 60 grains (= 4 ml) (1 ounce = 30 ml)
Household
Tablespoon (T, tbs)
1 T = 15 ml
Teaspoon (t, tsp)

1 t = 5 ml
Drop (gtt)
60 gtts = 1 tsp
Desired Dose
The amount of a particular medication to be administered
The symbol / stands for per
Desired dose
A patient with chest pains needs to be given 4 mg of Morphine Sulfate for Chest Pains. 4 mg is the Desired Dose
PAEDIATRIC DOSAGES
Frieds rule Infants dose (<1 y) = infants age (in mo) / 150 * average adult dose Youngs rule Childs dose (1 12 y) = childs age (in y) / childs age (in yrs) + 12 * average adult dose
Calculating the mL to be given There is a very simple mathematical equation to calculate the mL to be given: (D/H) x Q Dose you want to give (mg/mcg) What do you Have it supplied in (mg/mcg) What Quantity does it come in (mL)
Drip Rates
First, remember that you are going to be mixing a medication into fluids, you must first withdraw the amount of fluid from the IV bag that you will be replacing with the medication, so that the concentration will remain the same originally calculated. For example, if Lidocaine comes 1 g/ 25 mL, and you will mix 1 g in your 500 mL IV bag, first withdraw 475 mLof fluid from your IV bag, then replace it with the 25 ml ,containing to 1 g of Lidocaine. The volume will still be 500.
Flow Rate
Flow Rate = Total Volume ordered / Number of hours
i.e. it means the number of millilitres of fluid to administer over 1 hour.
Drip rates
(mLx gttfactor) / minutes Example: 500 mL using 15 gtt set over 1 hour.
(500 x 15) / 60 = 125 ml/min
Drop Rate
Drop Rate = volume of fluid in ml * IV fluid set / minutes i.e. 125 ml * 15 / 60 = 31.25 drops / min
Exercise
1) Phenergan is ordered 12.5 mg. It is supplied 25 mg/ 2 mL. How many mL will you need to give? 2) Adenosine is ordered 12 mg IVP after no response to a 6 mg dose. Adenosine is supplied 12 mg/4 mL. How many mL will you need to give?
3) Amiodarone is ordered 150 mg IVP over 10 minutes. It is supplied 200 mg/ 10 mL. How many mL will you need to give? 4) Dr. Koolorders 2 mg of Valium IV to a patient with seizure activity. You have a 5 mLvial that contains 10 mgs of Valium. (10mg/5mL). How many mLs are you going to draw up into a syringe?
5) Dr. Feelgoodorders 2 L of D5W1/2NS to be infused over 4 hours. Using a Macro tube drip set of 15gtts/mL, how many gtts/min will you adjust your IV set to deliver? 6) Convert 176 lbs into kgs
7) Mr X prescribes 4 mg of I.M. morphine q3h for your patients chest pain. The drug available in a prefilled syringe containing 10 mg of morphine/ml. how many millimeters of morphine should you discard.
8) The patient needs 1000 ml of fluid over 8 hours, find the flow rate.
9) A drug C is ordered for a patient weighing 50 kgs in strength of 3 mcg / kg / min. The strength available of drug C is 420 mg in 10 ml vial. The drug needs to be diluted in 40 ml of NS. Calculate the drops / min rate to be given through a macro-drip set.
10 ) Convert 1.5 Kg into Nanograms.
Answers
1) 1 ml 2) 4 ml 3) 7.5 ml 4) 1 ml 5) 125 gtts /min 6) 80 kgs 7) 0.6 ml 8) 125 ml/hour
9) .2678 drops / min 10) 15, 00, 000, 000, 000

Drug Calculations

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Abbreviations

KG, G, MG, MCG

1 Litre (l) = 1000 millilitres (ml)

Weights and Measures

Volume 1 dram = 60 grains (= 4 ml) (1 ounce = 30 ml)

Teaspoon (t, tsp)

The amount of a particular medication to be administered

The symbol / stands for per

i.e. it means the number of millilitres of fluid to administer over 1 hour.

10 ) Convert 1.5 Kg into Nanograms.

9) .2678 drops / min 10) 15, 00, 000, 000, 000

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