A 25 kg child requires vancomycin 15 mg/kg/day, divided every 12 hours. What is the per-dose dose?

Study for the Archer Pharmacology Test to master dosage calculations and medication administration. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with detailed explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

A 25 kg child requires vancomycin 15 mg/kg/day, divided every 12 hours. What is the per-dose dose?

Explanation:
The key idea is to convert a mg/kg/day dose into the amount given per dose when the dosing is split across multiple administrations. First find the total daily amount: multiply the weight by the daily dose. Then divide by how many doses are given that day. For this child: 15 mg/kg/day × 25 kg = 375 mg per day. Since the dose is divided every 12 hours, there are two doses per day. So the per-dose amount is 375 mg ÷ 2 = 187.5 mg. In practice, you’d round to a practical amount based on available formulations (often 188 mg or 190 mg). The value 375 mg represents the total daily dose, not the amount per individual dose.

The key idea is to convert a mg/kg/day dose into the amount given per dose when the dosing is split across multiple administrations. First find the total daily amount: multiply the weight by the daily dose. Then divide by how many doses are given that day.

For this child: 15 mg/kg/day × 25 kg = 375 mg per day. Since the dose is divided every 12 hours, there are two doses per day. So the per-dose amount is 375 mg ÷ 2 = 187.5 mg.

In practice, you’d round to a practical amount based on available formulations (often 188 mg or 190 mg). The value 375 mg represents the total daily dose, not the amount per individual dose.

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