Question

Luna Lovegood is recovering from pneumonia but has a history of seizures. The patient weighs 50 lbs. Her doctor’s order for Tyrion seizure is:

Med #1: Phenobarbital 300 mg IM STAT Recommended dose: 10-20 mg/kg load, may repeat 5mg/kg every 15-30 min until seizure is controlled or total dose of 40 mg/kg.

1) Assuming the patient already had her first dose, how many repeat dosages would be allowed? Justify mathematically by showing ALL of your work.

Answer 1

The patient weighs 50 lbs.

1 kg =2.2 lbs So, 50 lbs = 22.7kg

Order dose Phenobarbital 300 mg IM STAT

Recommended dose: 10-20 mg/kg load, may repeat 5mg/kg every 15-30 min until seizure is controlled or total dose of 40 mg/kg.

Total dose is 40 mg/kg that means highest dose should be 40 mg/kg

So,

So, the highest dose should be 908mg/day

Assuming the patient already had her first dose, that means patient got 300 mg IM STAT.

Now we can give maximum 608 mg (908mg - 300mg = 608mg)

Now we can administer 5mg/kg every 15-30 min until seizure is controlled.

That means per dose

So, (5 dosages )

Answer - 5 repeated dosages would be allowed.