PHARMACEUTICAL CALCULATIONS

* 1 Kilogram = 1000 grams

* 1 Gram = 1000 milligrams
* 1 Milligram = 1000 micrograms
* 1 Microgram = 0.001 milligrams
* 1 Milligrams = 0.001 grams
* 1 Microgram = 10 -6 grams
* 1 Nanogram = 10 -9 grams
* 1 Grain = 65 milligrams
* 1 Litre = 1000 cc
* 1 OZ = 30 cc
* 16 OZ = 480 cc = 1 Pint
* 1 Pint = 480 cc
* 1 Quart = 960 cc = 2 Pints
* 1 Gallon = 3840 cc = 4 Quarts = 8 Pints
* 2.2 lbs = 1 kg
* 1 Teaspoonful = 5 cc
* 1 Tablespoonful = 15 cc
* 1 Teacupful = 120 cc
* 1 Wineglassful = 60 cc
* 1 Tumblerful = 240 cc

* Density = Weight / volume

* Proof Gallon = gallon x % V/V strength

50% V/V

* Proof Gallon = gallon x proof strength

100 proof

* Equivalent wt = gram atomic weight

valence

* Milliequivalent = equivalent weight

1000

* Young’s Rule = Child dose = Age in year

Age + 12

* Drilling’s rule = Child dose = Age in year x adult dose

12

* Fried’s rule = Child dose = Age in month x adult dose

150
* Clark’s rule = Child dose = Weight in lb x adult dose
150

* Child dose = Body surface area of child x adult dose

Body surface area of adult

* Child dose = Body surface area of child x adult dose

173 M 2

TPN CALCULATIONS:

* Each gram of I.V. dextrose provides = 3.4 Kcal/gm

* Each gram of anhydrous dextrose provides = 4 Kcal/gm

* Each gram of fats provides = 9 Kcal/gm

* MCT provides = 8.3 Kcal/gm

* Each gram of protein provides = 4 Kcal/gm

* Each gram of glycerol provides = 4.3 Kcal/gm

* 1 cc of alcohol provides = 5.6 Kcal

* 1 cc of 10% lipid emulsion provides = 1.1 Kcal

* 1 cc of 20% lipid emulsion provides = 2 Kcal

1. How many grams of Dextrose is a. 32.5 mg
present in a 500cc D5W solution ? b. 3.25 gm
c. 3.5 mcg
a. 40 grams d. 0.325 mg
b. 5 grams
c. 25 grams 7. If 1 teaspoonful of Thioridazine intense
d. 10 grams solution (30mg/cc) is diluted up to 480cc mark
with plain water, what would be the final
2. How many grams of drug is required to strength of solution in mg/ml ?
dispense 1 pint of 1 in 25 solution ?
a. 0.52 mg/cc
a. 3.4 grams b. 0.31mg/cc
b. 19.2 grams c. 3.1 mg/cc
c. 22.3 grams d. 2.5 mg/cc
d. 14.5 grams
8. If 60 gram of 1% Hydrocortisone is
3. How much lidocaine is present in a 1 : mixed with 80 gram of 2.5% Hydrocortisone,
1000, 30cc solution of lidocaine ? what is the % w/w of hydrocortisone in final
mixture ?
a. 30 mg
b. 30 gm a. 2.25 %
c. 30 mcg b. 3.15 %
d. 3 gm c. 1.85 %
d. 4.35 %
4. How much atropine is required to
dispense 1 quart of 1 in 100 solution ? 9. Find out the ratio of an ionize drug to
unionize at pH = 7. The PKa value of drug is 5.
a. 18 gm
b. 9.6 mg a. 100
c. 9.6 gm b. 10 -2
d. 18 mcg c. 0.001
d. 1000
5. How many cc of 75% alcohol should
mix with 1000cc of 10% alcohol solution to 10. An adult dose of drug is 500mg, what is
prepare 500cc of 30% alcohol ? the dose for a 2-year old child ? (Young rule)

a. 153.84 cc a. 110 mg
b. 456.34 cc b. 41.52 mg
c. 212.5 cc c. 63.20 mg
d. 121.12 cc d. 71.42 mg

6. How many milligrams are equal to 1/ 11. If an adult dose of drug is 750mg, what
200 grain of nitroglycerine ? is the dose for child weighing 20 lbs ?
a. 250 mg a. 25.53 mEq
b. 150 mg b. 15.67 mEq
c. 50 mg c. 38.46 mEq
d. 100 mg d. 45.20 mEq

12. If an adult dose of drug is 100mg, what 17. How many milliequivalents of ferrous
would be dose for a child that has a body are present in 5 gr of ferrous sulfate? [ MW =
surface area 0.9 m2 ? 152 gm/mole]

a. 1.25 mg a. 3.56 mEq

b. 0.52 mg b. 2.56 mEq
c. 0.60 mg c. 1.25 mEq
d. 2.3 mg d. 4.27 mEq

13. If therapeutic dose of drug is 10mg/kg/ 18. What is the half-life of drug that has rate
day, how many 250mg/100cc ready-infusions- constant 0.067 days -1 ? [ First order kinetic]
bags should be filled ? Patient’s weight is 156
lbs. a. 12.11 days
b. 5.56 days
a. 3 bags c. 10.34 days
b. 1 bags d. 3.25 days
c. 2 bags
d. 8 bags 19. What is a rate of constant of the drug
having initial concentration of drug 1000mg/cc
14. How many cc of water should mix with and 100mg/cc after 90 minutes ?
70% alcohol to prepare 750cc of 20% alcohol?
a. 0.025 min-1
a. 625.10 cc b. 0.5 min-1
b. 714.5 cc c. 2.2 min -1
c. 332.89 cc d. 3.2 min-1
d. 531.71 cc
20. What is a rate of constant of heparin in
15. Aluminum (Al +3) has a gram atomic first order kinetic if 50 units/cc of heparin
weight of 27. What would be the milliequivalent remains in solution after 10 days ? [ Initial
weight ? concentration of heparin was 5000 units/cc]

a. 81 a. 2.1 day-1
b. 9 b. 0.5 day-1
c. 3 c. 0.46 day-1
d. 27 d. 1.23 day-1

16. How many mEq of Na+ presents in 21. What is an apparent volume of distribu-
0.9% 250cc of normal saline solution ? tion of 0.25mg lanoxin with plasma concentra-
(MW = 58.5 gram/mole) tion of 0.1 ng/cc ?
a. 2.5 ml 26. What would be total calories provided
b. 2.5 x 109 ml by TPN mixture containing 1200cc D5W,
c. 0.025 ml 1000cc of 10% aminoacids, 100cc of 5%
d. 2.5 x 10 15 ml alcohol and 300cc of 20% fat emulsion ?

22. An adult I.V. dose of neupogen is a. 560 calories

20mcg/kg/twice a week, how many milligrams b. 356 calories
will patient receive a week ? [patient weight = c. 1232 calories
150 lbs] d. 460 calories

a. 0.68 mg 27. How many milliequivalents of sodium

b. 6.81 mg are present in a 50cc 50% solution of sodium
c. 68.1 ng bicarbonate ? [MW = 84 gm/mole]
d. 68.1 mg
a. 297.61 mEq
23. If an I.V. admixture contains 1000mg of b. 135.52 mEq
drug in 250cc solution, how many drops per c. 231.50 mEq
minute are required to infuse 50mg of drug per d. 182.13 mEq
minute ? [ I.V set delivers 20 drops/cc]
28. What is half-life of drug having degra-
a. 20 drops dation constant of 0.693 x 10 -5 minutes ?
b. 10 drops
c. 250 drops a. 0.693 minutes
d. 125 drops b. 100 minutes
c. 45 minutes
24. Administration of 1.5 gram/kg/day of d. 10 5 minutes
aminoacid normally achieves optimum fat
metabolism and spares protein catabolism, what 29. If an I.V. order is for 250cc of D5W to
would be the dose of aminoacids in grams/day be given every 6 hours , what would be the
for 155lbs patient ? flow rate in drops/min ? [ I.V. set delivers 20
drops/cc]
a. 101.23 gm
b. 85.5 gm a. 19 drops
c. 55.3 gm b. 14 drops
d. 105.68 gm c. 20 drops
d. 15 drops
25. How many calories are provided by
500cc of D30W solution ? 30. An adult recommended dose of drug is
5mg/kg/day, how many milligrams of drug is
a. 250 calories required every four hours ? [ patient weight =
b. 125 calories 110 lbs]
c. 150 calories
d. 510 calories a. 41.66 mg
b. 20.34 mg
c. 12.53 mg
d. 49.34 mg
1 (c) 500 cc of D5W (dextrose 5%) solution
contains 500 x 5/100 = 25 gram of dextrose.
2 (b) 1 in 25 solution is interpreted as 1 gm
of drug in 25cc solution, therefore we can say
1 pint (480cc) solution of drug will contain
= 1/200 x 65 = 0.325mg
7 (b) 1 teaspoonful (5cc) will contain 150mg
of Thioridazine (30mg/cc). This solution is
diluted up to 480cc mark with plain water,
therefore

= 480/25 = 19.20 grams of drug. 150mg/480cc = 0.31mg/cc.

3 (a) 1 : 1000 is expressed by 1 gm of 8 (c) The content of hydrocortisone is final

lidocaine in 1000cc of solution, therefore 30cc mixture can be calculated by
solution of lidocaine will present in
60 gm of 1% Hydrocortisone = 0.6 gm
= 30/1000 = 0.03 gram (30mg) lidocaine. 80 gm of 2.5% Hydrocortisone = 2.0 gm
140 gm of Hydrocortisone = 2.6 gm
4 (c) 1 in 100 contains 1 gram of drug in
% of Hydrocortisone in final mixture 2.6 x100
100cc of solution. We want to prepare 1 quart
140
(960cc), therefore
= 1.85%
960/100 = 9.6 gram of drug.

5 (a) To solve this kind of problem we have 9 (b) pH = PKa + log salt
acid
to use alligation method.
7 = 5 + log salt
acid
75 20 (75%)
2 = log salt/acid
30
(salt/acid) = 10-2

10 45 (10%) 10 (b) According to young formula

Total parts 65 (30%)
Age in year x adult dose
We want to prepare 500cc 30% alcohol Age + 12
solution, therefore one can say
= 2 x 500mg
To prepare 65 (30%) 20 (75%) parts 14
To prepare 500 (30%) ? = 71.42 mg of drug.

500 x 20/65 = 153.84cc 75% solution is 11 (d) According to Clark formula

required.
= weight (in lb) x adult dose
6 (d) 1 grain is equal to 65 mg. Therefore 1/ 150 lbs
200 gr is equal to = 20 x 750mg = 100mg dose.
150
12 (b) Body surface area of child x adult dose 16 (c)Milliequivalents of Na+ can be found
2
173 m as follows:

= 0.9 x 100 Equivalent wt of NaCl = gm mol wt

173 valence
= 58.5 gm mol wt
= 0.52 mg of dose. 1

13 (a) Patient weight in kg is 156lbs/2.2 = Milliequivalent of NaCl = eq wt

70.9 kg. The therapeutic dose of the drug is 1000
10mg/kg, so patient needs = 70.9 x 10 = 709 = 58.5
mg of the drug. Therefore the correct answer 1000
should be “a” 3-bags. = 0.0585

14 (d) To solve this kinds of problem, Amount of NaCl in 0.9 % 250cc of normal
we have to use alligation method. saline solution is = 250 x 0.009 = 2.25 gm,
therefore we can say 2.25 units NaCl is disso-
70 20 (70%) ciate in 2.25 units Na+ and 2.25 units Cl- ions.

20 Total mEq of Na+ = 2.25 gm

0.0585 g/mEq
0 50 (0%)
Total parts 70 (20%) = 38.46 mEq of Na+

To prepare 70 parts (20%) 50 parts (0%) 17 (d) Eq wt of FeSO4 = gm mol wt

So, to prepare 750cc (20%) ? no of valence

= 750 x 50 / 70 = 152 gm/mole

= 535.71 cc of ware should be mixed with 2
214.29 cc (750cc - 535.71cc) of 70% alcohol
to prepare 750cc of 20% alcohol. = 76 gm
mEq = eq wt
15 (b) Milliequivalents of Al +3 ion can be 1000
found as follows: = 76
1000
Eq weight = weight in gm = 0.076g/mEq
no of valence
= 27 gm Total mEq wt of Fe+2 = 0.325
3 0.076 g/mEq
= 9 gm eq weight = 4.27 mEq

mEq = equivalent weight in mg 18 (c) t1/2 = 0.693 / k

1000
= 9000 = 9 k = 0.693 /t1/2
1000
 = 0.693 / 0.067 days- 24 (d) Patient weight is 155 = 70.45 kg
= 10.31 days 2.2

19 (a) 0.025 min-1 A normal therapeutic dose is 1.5 gm x 70.45 kg

= 105.68 gm of drug.
k = 2.303 x log C0
t C 25 (d) 500cc of D30W solution contains
= 2.303 x log 1000
90 100 = 500 x 0.3 gm
-1
= 0.025 min = 150 gm dextrose

20 (c) 0.46 day -1 Each gm of dextrose provides =3.4 calories,

therefore 150 gm dextrose will provide
k = 2.303 x log C0
t C = 150 x 3.4 calories
= 2.303 x log 5000 = 510 calories
10 50
= 0.46 day-1 26 (c) Total calories provided by TPN can be
calculated as follows:
21 (b) Vd = Dose of drug
Plasma conc of drug 1200cc of D5W provide = 1200 x 0.05 x 3.4
= 204 calories.
= 0.25 x 109 ng
0.1 ng/ml 1000cc of 10% aminoacid provide
= 2.5 x 10 9 ml. = 1000 x 0.1 x 4 = 400 calories.

22 (a) Patient is weighing 150 lbs = 68.18 kg
2.2
A normal therapeutic dose in an adult patient is
= 68.18 x 20
= 1363 mcg per twice a week.
= 681.81 mcg per a week.
= 0.68 mg per a week.
23 (c) An I.V. admixture contains 1000mg of
drug in 250cc of solution, therefore one can say
= 1000 mg = 4 mg/cc
250 cc
I.V. set delivers 20 drops per cc, therefore to
administer 50 mg dose of drug we require
= 50 x 20 = 250 drops per minute.
4
100cc of 5% alcohol solution contains
= 100 x 0.05 x 5.6 calories = 28 calories
1cc of 20% fat emulsion provides = 2 calories
300cc of 20% lipid solution will provide
= 300 x 2 = 600 calories
Total calories provide = 204+400+28+600
= 1232 calories.
27 (a) 50cc of 50% sodium bicarbonate
solution contains = 25 gm of sod bicarbonate.
eq weight = gm mole wt
valence
= 84 gm / 1 = 84 g
mEq = eq wt
1000

= 84 / 1000 = 0.084 g

Total mEq of sod = 25 g

0.084 g/eq

= 297.61 mEq

28 (d) t1/2 = 0.693

k
= 0.693
10-5

= 10 5 minutes.

29 (b) We have 250cc of dextrose solution,

needs to be administered in 6 hours (360
minutes), therefore one can say

In 360 minutes 250cc solution

In 1 minute ?

= 250 / 360 = 0.69 cc/min

An I.V. set delivers 20 drops per cc, therefore

1 cc contains 20 drops
0.69 cc will need ?

= 20 x 0.69cc
= 13.8 drops/min = 14 drops/min

30 (a) Patient weight in kg = 150 = 50 kg

2.2
A normal recommended dose of drug per day
is = 5 x 50 = 250mg per day. Patient is taking
this dose in 6 divided doses, therefore every 4
hours dose of drug would be

= 250mg/ 6
= 41.66mg every 4-hour.