SESSION 11:

CALCULATIONS OF DOSES
FOR PAEDIATRICS AND
GERIATRICS BASED ON
AGE, BODY WEIGHT AND
BODY SURFACE AREA
LEARNING TASKS
By the end of this session students are expected
to be able to:
• Calculating the dose for paediatric by using
age of a child
• Calculating the dose for paediatric by using
body weight of a child
• Calculating the dose for paediatric by using
body surface area
• Calculating of doses for elderly (geriatric)
patients
 CALCULATION OF PAEDIATRIC
DOSE BY USING AGE OF A CHILD
• When paediatric doses for a medication are not
given, they can be calculated from the adult dose,
taking into account body-surface area, body-weight
or age.
• Usually children are divided into four age
groups;
Neonates: 1 to 28 days
Infants: 4 weeks to one year
Children: 1 to 5 years
Children: 6 to 12 years
• The age of the individual being treated
is frequently a consideration in the
determination of the drug dosage,
especially in the young and very old
• The rationale for dose adjustment in
pediatric indications may be
determined by differences in
pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics,
disease or a combination of these
factors
 PHARMACOKINETICS OF DRUGS IN CHILDREN MAY DIFFER FROM ADULTS FOR SEVERAL REASONS SUCH AS

age
gender
body composition
functionality of liver and kidneys
maturation of enzymatic systems
throughout the life span from neonates to
adults
• There are different formulas for
determination of paedriatic (child)
dose based on age, these include
Young’s Rule; Age (in
years)/(Age + 12) × Adult dose =
Dose for Child
Fried’s Rule; (Age ( in months) ×
Adult dose)/150 = Dose for Child
EXAMPLES
1.Calculate the dose for 6-years old child
when the adult dose is 600 mg
2.What is the dose of a medication for a
twelve months old child when the adult dose
is 100 mg?
Solutions
1.Child’s dose = 6/(6+12) × 600
=200 mg
The child’s dose is 200 mg
Answer
2.
Child’s dose = (12 × 100)/150 = 8
mg
The child’s dose is 8 mg Answer
 CALCULATION OF PAEDIATRIC DOSE BY
USING BODY WEIGHT OF A CHILD

• The usual doses for drugs are considered

generally suitable for 70kg (154-lb) individuals
• The determination of drug dosage for young
patient on the bases of body weight is considered
more dependable than that based strictly on age
• The dosage of a number of drug substances is
based on body weight and is frequently
expressed on a milligram (drug) per kilogram
(body weight) or milligram per pound bases
FORMULAS FOR CALCULATING CHILD’S
DOSE BASED ON BODY WEIGHT INCLUDE :
Child’s dose = (child body weight (Kg) ×
Adult dose)/70 Kg
Child’s dose = (child body weight (lb) ×
Adult dose)/150 lb
Examples
1.Calculate the dose for a child which
weighs 17.5 Kg when the adult dose is 0.5 g
2.If the adult dose of a drug is 75mg, what
will be the dose for a child weighing 40 lb?
 SOLUTIONS
•
1. Child’s dose = (17.5Kg ×
0.5 g)/70 Kg = 0.125 g
The child’s dose is 0.125g
answer
2. Child’s dose = (40 lb × 75
mg)/150 lb = 20 mg
The child’s dose is 20 mg
answer
 CALCULATION OF
PAEDIATRICDOSE BY USING BODY
SURFACE AREA AND HEIGHT
• Dose calculated on bases of body
surface area (BSA) or body weight is
much more satisfactory and always
needed when the margin between
therapeutic and toxic dose is narrow
• For more precise calculation of doses
based on BSA, one should refer to a
standard nomograph, which includes
both weight and height as factors
influencing BSA
 FORMULAS TO CALCULATE CHILD
DOSE BASED ON BSA INCLUDE;
• Child’s dose = (BSA of a child in m 2 ×
Adult dose) / 1.73m 2 (average adult BSA)
Examples
What is the dose of a drug for a child
having a BSA of 0.54m 2 when the adult
dose is 50 mg?
solution
Child’s dose = (0.54m2× 50 mg)/1.73m 2 =
15.60 mg answer
CALCULATIONS OF DOSES FOR ELDERLY
(GERIATRIC) PATIENTS
• Geriatric medicine or geriatrics is
the field that encompasses the
management of illness disability in
the elderly
• Most age related physiological
functions peak before age 30 years
with subsequent gradual linear
decline
• Kidney function is a major consideration in a
drug dosing in the elderly because reduced
function results in reduced drug elimination, this
will lead to drug accumulation and prolongation
in the body and possible drugs toxic levels and
related adverse events
• Renal clearance as well as other
pharmacokinetic parameters, are important in the
dosing of certain drugs in the elderly patients
population
• Therefore dose reduction is important in elderly
patients due to reduction in their renal and
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. What is the dose of 6 month old child when
the adult dose is 250 mg of a drug?
2. What is the dose of diclofenac injection of a
child weigh 14 kg while the adult dose is
150 mg.
3. Calculate the dose of a 12 years old child
while the adult dose of drug is 1000 mg.
4. Calculate the dose of a child with BSA of
0.25 m2 when the adult dose is 250 mg
KEY POINTS
• Pediatric doses can be calculated from the adult
dose, taking into account body-surface area,
body-weight or age
• Dose calculated on bases of body surface area
(BSA) or body weight is much more satisfactory
and always needed when the margin between
therapeutic and toxic dose is narrow
• Renal clearance as well as other pharmacokinetic
parameters (malabsorption, metabolism by the
liver) are important in the dosing of certain
drugs in the elderly patients population
EVALUATION
1. What are different methods used in the
determination of child dose?
2. What are the reasons for calculating
child dose?
3. What are the two important factors to
consider when determining doses for
elderly patients?
 SESSION 12:
CALCULATION
S OF DOSAGE
OF HEPARIN
LEARNING TASKS

By the end of this session students are

expected to be able to:
Calculating dosage of heparin
INTROUCTION
• What is a Heparin?
Heparin is a drug that has
anticoagulant properties.
• Heparin slows clotting time and is
therefore used as anticoagulant
• There are two types of Heparin
preparations:
i. Unfractioned Heparin
ii. Low Molecular weight heparins
• Heparin salts are administered
as sterile aqueous solutions by
intravenous infusion,
intermittent intravenous
injection, or deep
subcutaneous injection.
CALCULATION OF UNFRACTIONED HEPARIN DOSING

Exmples
An intravenous infusion contained 20,000 units of
1.

heparin sodium in 1000 mL of D5W. The rate of infusion

was set at 1600 units per hour for a 160-lb. patient.
Calculate:
(a) The concentration of heparin sodium in the
infusion, in units/mL;
(b) The length of time the infusion would run, in
hours;
(c) The dose of heparin sodium administered to the
patient, on a unit/kg/minute basis.
• The following are the answers of the
above exercise:
a. 20000 units/1000mL = 20 units/mL
b. 20000 units/20 units/mL = 12.5hrs
c. 160pounds = 72.7kg
12.5 hrs = 750 minutes
20000 units/750 minutes = 26.67
unit/minute
26.67 unit/minute / 72.7 kg =
0.37 units/kg/min Answers
KEY POINTS
• Heparin is used as anticoagulant; however, its use
carries with it, the risk of hemorrhage
• Bolus doses, given by direct intravenous injection,
may be followed by intravenous infusion as a
heparin drip
• Low-dose heparin administration provides
effective prophylaxis (rather than therapeutic
effects) in a variety of surgical procedures
EVALUATION
• What is Heparin?
• How do you calculate the dose of
Heparin?
IS THERE ANY
QUESTION?
• ‘Challenges
and problems
are the
stumbling
blocks
towards
success’
 SESSION 13:
CALCULATIONS OF
PERCENTAGE STRENGTH
OF WEIGHT-IN-VOLUME
(%W/V)
 LEARNING TASKS
By the end of this session
students are expected to be able
to:
• Define the percentage %W/V of
a given product
• Calculate the amount of a
product/active ingredient from a
given percentage %W/V
PERCENTAGE %W/V OF A GIVEN PRODUCT

What is percentage weight in volume?

• Percentage weight-in-volume indicates the number
of parts by weight (gm) of active ingredient
contained in the total volume of the solution or
mixture considered as 100 parts by volume
• Weight of active ingredient in a specific volume of a
solution, given its weight-in-volume percentage
strength.
• i.e. volume (mL)(represent gram)×%(expressed
as a decimal)= gm of active ingredient
CONTI.......
• Example: 5 %( w/v) dextrose solution
• This means that 5 gm of active
ingredient (dextrose powder) in every
100 mL of the
• dextrose solution (i.e. 5 gm dextrose
powder are in 100 mL of dextrose
solution or 5
• gm of dextrose powder plus enough
water to make 100 mL solution)
 THE AMOUNT OF A PRODUCT/ACTIVE
INGREDIENT FROM A GIVEN
PERCENTAGE %W/V

• Examples
1. What is the percentage strength
(w/v) of a solution of urea, if 80
mL contains 12 gm?
2. How many gram of dextrose will
be needed to prepare 200 mL of
5%w/v dextrose solution?
KEY POINTS
• Percentage weight in volume represents the
number in grams of active ingredient/substance in
100 mL of the drug product
Evaluation
• What is the meaning of percentage weight-in-
volume?
• What do you understand by the term sodium
chloride 0.9%w/v (normal saline)?
 SESSION 14:
CALCULATIONS OF
PERCENTAGE
STRENGTH
VOLUME-IN-
VOLUME (%V/V)
LEARNING TASKS
By the end of this session
students are expected to be able
to:
• Define the percentage %V/V of
a given product
• Calculate the amount of a
product/active ingredient from
a given percentage %V/V.
PERCENTAGE %V/V OF A GIVEN PRODUCT
What is percentage %V/V of a
given product?
• Percentage volume-in-volume
indicates the number of parts by
volume (mL) of active ingredient
contained in the total volume of
the solution or mixture
considered as 100 parts by
• For example: 70 %( v/v) alcohol
means that 70 mL of active
ingredient (absolute alcohol) in
100 mL of the alcohol solution.
• A 0.5%v/v solution of chloroform
in water contains 0.5 mL of
chloroform in 100 mL
• solution (i.e. 0.5 mL chloroform
plus 99.5 mL water)
THE AMOUNT OF A PRODUCT/ACTIVE INGREDIENT
FROM A GIVEN PERCENTAGE %V/V
• Volume of active ingredient in a
specific volume of a solution,
given its volume-in-volume
percentage strength.
i.e. volume (mL) × %(expressed
as a decimal)= mL of active
ingredient
This will involve the following;
Example:
1.How many milliliters of liquefied phenol
should be used in compounding the
following prescription?
Rx Liquefied phenol……………………
2.5%
Calamine lotion………….…ad 240.0 mL
Sig. For external use
Solution:
Volume (mL) × %( expressed as a
decimal) = mL of active ingredient
240 mL× 0.025 = 6 mL, answer
2. In preparing 250 mL of a certain
solution, a pharmacist used 4 mL of
Liquefied phenol. What was the percentage
(v/v) of Liquefied phenol in the lotion?
Solution
• The following is the answer for the above
exercise
• %( expressed as a decimal) = mL of
active ingredient/ volume (mL)
4 mL/250 mL
=0.016 × 100 mL (to get percentage)
=1.6% v/v, answer
KEY POINTS
• Percentage volume in volume represents the
number in millilitres of active
ingredient/substance in 100 mL of the drug
product
Evaluation
• What is the meaning of percentage volume-
in-volume?
• What do you understand by the term sodium
chloride 0.5%v/v chloroform solution?
ARE YOU TIRED?
‘If you are
hustling and
you are not
stressed with
the inner
motivation of
achieving your
dreams then
you are not
CALCULATIONS
OF
PERCENTAGE
STRENGTH (MG
%W/V, MG
%W/W)
LEARNING TASKS
By the end of this session
students are expected to be able
to:
Calculating the amount of a
product/active ingredient from a
given percentage mg% w/v
Calculating the amount of a
product/active ingredient from a
given percentage mg% w/w
AMOUNT OF A PRODUCT/ACTIVE INGREDIENT
FROM A GIVEN PERCENTAGE MG %W/V
• The term milligrams percent w/v (mg
%w/v) expresses the number of milligrams
of a substance in 100mL of a liquid
• It is used to frequently to donate the
concentration of a drug or natural
substances in a biological fluid, as in the
blood.
• For example: 30mg% non protein
nitrogen, means that each 100 mL of
blood contains 30 mg of non protein
nitrogen
EXAMPLE
1. Calculate the amount of drug required to
prepare 500 mL of 1000 mg% w/v solution?
Solutions
• The amount of drug will be calculated as
1000mg = 100ml
Xmg = 500ml
X = 1000mg x 500ml/100ml
X = 5000mg
X =5000mg, answer
 AMOUNT OF A PRODUCT/ACTIVE
INGREDIENT FROM A GIVEN PERCENTAGE
MG %W/W
• The term milligrams percent w/w (mg %w/w)
expresses the number of milligrams of a
substance in 100 gm of a product
• For example: 500mg%w/w benzoic acid
ointment, means that each 100 gm of the
ointment it contains 500 mg of benzoic acid
Example
Calculate the amount of phenol which should
be used to prepare 240gm of 5000 mg% w/w
solution?
KEY POINTS
• The term milligrams percent w/v (mg %w/v) expresses
the number of milligrams of a substance in 100mL of a
liquid
• It is used to frequently to donate the concentration of a
drug or natural substances in a biological fluid, as in the
blood
Evaluation
 What is the meaning of mg%w/v?
 What do you understand by 400mg%w/v dextrose
solution?
• “Your instinct has
got to be sharp
than a scalpel
and faster than
any machine”
 SESSION 16:
CALCULATIONS
OF RATIO
STRENGTH
(%W/W, %W/V,
%V/V, PPM)
 LEARNING TASKS
By the end of this session
students are expected to
be able to:
• Calculating the ratio strength
of a product from given
%W/W , %W/V , %V/V and
ppm
RATIO STRENGTH OF A PRODUCT FROM GIVEN %W/V,
%V/V, AND %W/W
• The concentration of weak solutions or liquid
preparations is frequently expressed in terms of ratio
strength
• Because all percentages are ratio of parts per hundred,
ratio strength is merely another way of expressing the
percentage strength of solutions or liquid preparations
(and less frequently, of mixtures of solids)
• For example:
• 5% means 5 parts per 100 or 5:100, although 5 parts
per 100 designates ratio strength; it is customary to
• When a ratio strength for example 1:1000, is
used to designate a concentration, it is to be
interpreted as follows:
For solids in liquids = 1 gm of solute or
constituents in 1000 mL of solution or liquid
preparation
For liquids in liquids = 1 mL of constituents in
1000 mL of solution or liquid preparation
For solids in solids = 1 gm of constituents in
1000 gm of mixture
 DISCUSS ON THE
FOLLOWING QUESTION
1. Express 0.02% as a ratio strength
2. Express 1;4000 as a percentage
strength
3. A certain injectable contains 2 mg
of a drug per milliliter of solution,
what is the ratio strength (w/v) of
the solution?
PARTS PER MILLION (PPM)
• The strength of very dilute solutions is
commonly expressed in terms of parts per
million (ppm); that is the number of parts of
the agent per one million parts of the whole.
For example, fluorinated drinking water,
used to reduce dental carries, often contains
1 part of fluoride per million parts of drinking
water (1:1,000,000).
• The ppm concentration of a substance may
be expressed in quantitatively equivalent
values of percentage strength or ratio
strength.
Example:
1.Express 5 ppm of iron in water
in percentage strength and ratio
strength.

2. The concentration of the drug

additive in an animal feed is 12.5
ppm. How many mgs of drugs
should be used in preparing 5.2
kg of feed?
 Key Points
• The concentration of weak solutions or
liquid preparations is frequently
expressed in terms of ratio strength.
• The ratio and percentage strengths of
any solution or mixture of solids are
proportion, and either is easily
converted to the others by the use of
proportion.
• The strength of very dilute solutions is
commonly expressed in terms of parts
per million (ppm)
TAKE HOME
ASSIGNMENT
• Express 1:200 as percentage
strength.
• Express 0.05% as ratio strength.
• Express 100ppm as ratio
strength.
• Express 0.005% as percentage
strength
IS THERE ANY QUESTION?
• ‘Before loving
anything you
have to know
the meaning of
giving/sacrificin
g yourself and
your
everything ’
 SESSION 17:
CALCULATIONS OF
QUANTITIES OF
EACH INGREDIENT
REQUIRED FOR
COMPOUNDING
LEARNING TASKS
By the end of this session students are
expected to be able to:
• Calculate the amount of drug required
for compounding from a given
prescription
• Calculate the ratio (factor) of quantity
needed for compounding
• Enlarge or reduce formula by using the
factor
• Determine dilutions of reduced and
 DRUG REQUIRED FOR
COMPOUNDING FROM A GIVEN
PRESCRIPTION
• When the amount of prescribed or ordered
medicines deviates from the official
quantities of a formula in a reference book
the amount of each ingredient for
compounding can be obtained or calculated
Example:
1.Dispense: Paracetamol syrup 250 mg tds
3/7,
Available Paracetamol syrup 125 mg
Paracetamol per 5mL
CALCULATING RATIO OF QUANTITY NEEDED FOR
COMPOUNDING
• In order to reduce or enlarge
the formula the following
ratio / factor are the mostly
used;
• Factor = Total amount
required / total amount of
the official formula
• Example of reducing formula:
• Codeine phosphate syrup PCx:
Codeine phosphate----------------------5 gm
Purified water freshly boiled and coole--15 mL
Chloroform spirit-----------------------------25 mL
Syrup-----------------------------------to 1000 mL
Sig; 5mL q.i.d 4/7
EXAMPLE OF ENLARGING FORMULA:

• Example of enlarging formula

• Minstura carminativa pcx
• Sig; 2tsp t.d.s x 5/7
• The amount of drug to be dispensed will be calculated as;
10 mL × 3 × 5 = 150 mL to be dispensed
• Factor = Total amount required / total amount of the
official formula
= 150 mL/ 100 mL
= 1.5, answer
 ENLARGING OR REDUCING OF
FORMULA BY USING THE FACTOR
• Pharmaceutical personnel may have to
reduce or enlarge formulas for
pharmaceutical preparations in the course of
their practice
• Official formulas and most other formulas for
manufacturing are based on the preparation
of 1000 mL or 1000 gm of product
• The pharmaceutical personnel may be called
on to make a smaller or greater quantity and
thus must reduce or enlarge the formula
while maintain the correct proportion of each
EXAMPLES:
Reducing of the formula
Codeine phosphate syrup PCx
Codeine phosphate----------------------5 gm
Purified water freshly boiled and coole--15 mL
Chloroform spirit-----------------------------25 mL
Syrup-----------------------------------to 1000 mL
Sig; 5mL q.i.d 4/7
 Sig; 5mL q.i.d 4/7
Solution;
Prescribed amount is: 5 × 4 × 4 = 80 mL
Factor = 80 mL/ 1000 mL
= 0.08
Hence the formula will be as follows
Codeine phosphate syrup PCx
Official formular Factor Required
amount

Codeine phosphate------5 0.4gm

gm

Purified water freshly 0.08 1.2ml

boiled and cooled--15 mL

Chloroform spirit----------- 2ml

25 mL

Syrup----------------to 1000 To 80mls

mL
ENLARGING OF FORMULA

Ammonium chloride mixture PCx

ingredients Official
amount
Ammonium chloride 10 gm.

Aromatic ammonia solution 5 mL

Liquorice liquid extract 10 mL

Water for preparations to 100mL


Sig; ammonium chloride mixture 10
mL tds 5/7
The following are the answers of the
above exercise
The amount of drug to be dispensed
will be calculated as;
10 mL × 3 × 5 = 150 mL to be
dispensed
Factor = Total amount required / total
amount of the official formula
= 150 mL/ 100 Ml
Hence the formula will become;
Ammonium chloride mixture PCx

ingredients Official Factor Required

amount amount
Ammonium chloride 10 gm. 1.5 15 gm.
Aromatic ammonia 5 mL 1.5 7.5 mL
solution

Liquoriceliquid extract 10 mL 1.5 15 mL

Water for preparations to 100mL 1.5 to 150 mL
DETERMINATION OF DILUTION OF
REDUCED AND ENLARGED
FORMULAS
• For many liquid oral preparations ( e, g mixtures,
elixirs) B.P. and PCx. State that when a dose
ordered or prescribed is less than or not a multiple
of 5mL, the preparation should be diluted with the
vehicle used in the preparation or with diluents
specified in the individual monograph so that the
dose to be measured by the patient is a 5 mL-
spoonful (usually taken as a teaspoonful) or
multiple thereof
• Example:
Codeine phosphate syrupPCx
 Codeine phosphate--------------------5 gm
 Purified water freshly boiled and cooled--15
mL
 Chloroform spirit---------------------25 mL
 Syrup----------------------------to 1000 mL
Sig; 2.5mL q.i.d 4/7
Solution
Prescribed amount is: 2.5 × 4 × 4 = 40
mL
Factor = 40 mL/ 1000 mL
• As 2.5 mL is less than 5mL each single dose
should be diluted with 2.5 mL of diluents (in this
case syrup), so that the patient can measure the
dose in terms of 5 mL teaspoonful
2.5mL × 4 × 4 = 40 mL Amount of undiluted
preparation
2.5mL × 4 × 4 = 40 mL Amount of diluents (syrup)
5.0mL × 4 × 4 = 80 mL Amount of diluted preparation
Codeine phosphate syrup PCx
ingredients Official Facto Undilut Diluted
amount r ed
Codeine phosphate 5 gm. 0.04 0.2 gm 0.2 gm

Purified water
freshly boiled and 15 mL 0.04 0.6 mL 0.6 mL
cooled

Chloroform spirit 25 mL 0.04 1.0 mL 1.0 mL

Syrup to1000mL 0.04 to40mL 80.0 mL

TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT
From the following formula calculate the amount of
medicine to be dispensed
Asthma mixture TPH
Official amount

Ammonium bicarbonate 2.0 gm

Potassium iodide 3.0 gm
Belladonna tincture 3.0 gm
Chloroform spirit 6.0 mL
Water for preparation to 100.0 mL
a. Sig; Asthma mixture 10 mL b.i.d 2/52
b. Sig; Asthma mixture 2.5 mL bd 5/7
Thank
you
for
listeni
ng
 Session 18:
Calculations of
Dilution and
Concentration of
Solids and
Semisolids
LEARNING TASKS
By the end of this session
students are expected to be able
to:
Define dilution and
concentration of Solids and
Semisolids
 Calculating dilution and
concentration of Solids and
DEFINITION OF DILUTION AND
CONCENTRATION OF SOLIDS AND SEMISOLIDS
• The dilution of solids in pharmacy
occurs when there is need to achieve
a lower concentration of an active
component in a more concentrated
preparation (e.g., a powdered
vegetable drug)
• There is also a type of diluted
pharmaceutical preparation, termed a
trituration that represents a useful
means of preparing and administering
• Reducing or enhancing the
strengths of creams and ointments
is a usual part of a compounding
• Pharmaceutical personnel’s
practice to meet the special needs
of patients
• The dilution of semisolids is a usual
part of a compounding
pharmaceutical personnel’s
practice in reducing the strengths
of creams and ointments to meet
 DILUTION AND CONCENTRATION
OF SOLIDS AND SEMISOLIDS

Examples
1. If 30 g of a 1% hydrocortisone
ointment were diluted with 12 g of
Vaseline, what would be the
concentration of hydrocortisone in the
mixture?
2. How many grams of zinc oxide should
be added to 3200 g of 5% zinc oxide
ointment to prepare an ointment
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE SOLUTIONS OF THE ABOVE
EXERCISES
1. 30 g x 1% = 0.3 g hydrocortisone
30 g x 12 g = 42 g, weight of mixture
0.3 g x 100 = 0.71% (w/w), answer.
42 g
Or,
30 (g) x 1 (%) = 42 (g) x x(%)
x = 0.71% (w/w), answer.
Solution question two
2. (2) 3200 g x 0.05 = 160 g of zinc oxide in 3200 g of 5%
ointment
3200 g x 160 g = 3040 g of base (diluent) in 3200 g of 5%
ointment
In the 20% ointment, the diluent will represent 80% of the
total weight
80 (%) = 3040 (g)
20 (%) x (g)
x = 760 g of zinc oxide in the 20% ointment
Because the 5% ointment already contains 160 g of zinc
oxide,
760 g - 160 g = 600 g, answer.
EVALUATION
What is dilution of solids and
semisolids?
What is concentration if solids and
semisolids?
 THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING
‘’If it feels like
hurting dont just let
it go until you
accept it and learn
how to endure it or
benefit from it’s
pain’’

11/01/2024 91