Question

Patient Profile Patient Name: Mike Kelly Address: 65 Laney Road Age: 22 Sex: M Race: Caucasian Allergies: NKDA Diagnosis: Asthma, Allergies Medications Date Prescriber Medications 8/23 Sanchez Allegra 60 mg 1 tablet in the evening daily 8/23 Sanchez Qvar 1 puff (40 mcg) BID 9/29 Williams Methylprednisolone 40 mg IV Q12H 9/29 Williams Aminophylline 0.5 mg/kg/hr 9/29 Williams Albuterol nebulization 2.5 mg Q6H Lab/Diagnostic Tests Results 1/7 141 pounds Date Weight Height WBC 9/1 125 pounds 5'9" 12,000 3.7 101 9/29 160 pounds 5'9" 11,225 3.6 142 4.1 Glu On 10/15, when the patient went to the physician, he changed the dose of Allegra to a liquid dosage form to contain 180 mg of drug in each 5 mL. When the pharmacist received the prescription to dispense 100 ml, he realized that he has 100 mL of a solution containing 250 mg/5 ml. He also has 150-mg scored tablets of the drug. How many tablets should be pulverized and added to the solution to achieve the desired strength? The pharmacist calculated and added 4 tablets to the solution. Calculate if this is true or not. The pharmacist soon realized that the addition of the pulverized tablets increased the volume to 102 mL which essentially reduced the strength of the solution. What is the new strength? What should the pharmacist do to bring the solution to the desired strength?

Answer 1

The answer is false.

addition of 4 tablets of 150 mg to the solution does not meet the desired strength . in fact the addition of 4 tablets of 150 mg to the existing 100 ml solution gives 280 mg per 5 ml.

addition of 4 tablets of 150 mg increased the volume to 102 ml leading to the new strength - 274.5 mg per 5 ml

the pharmacist should pulverize 24 tablets of 150 mg  and mix it in a suitable solvent(100 ml) to achieve the desired strength that is ALLEGRA 180 mg per 5 ml.

Also,the pharmacist can dispense the bottle containing 250 mg/5 ml bottle and ask the patient to take 3.6 ml instead of 5 ml that gives the desired strength prescribed by the doctor.

D - desired quantity