METRI

CSYSTEM OFMEASUREMENT

Themet ri
csystem, whi
chi
sfederal
l
ymandatedandappear sint
heof f
ici
allisteni
ngof
drugsintheUnitedStat
esPhar
macopoeia(USP),i
salogical
lyorgani
zedsy stem of
measurement.Itisoneoft
hethreesyst
emsofmeasur ementinpharmaceut ical
calcul
ati
ons;t
heot hert
woaretheimperi
alsy
stem (
ApothecaryandAv oi
rdupoi ssyst
em)
andHouseholdsy stem.

Inthemet ri
csy st
em,thethreepri
mar yorfundament aluni
tsare;t
hemeterforlength,
thelit
erforvolumeandt hegram forweight.Inaddi
tiontothesebasi
cunits,t
hemet ri
c
system incl
udesmul t
ipl
esofbasicunitswi t
hapr efi
xtoindicat
eitsr
elat
ionshi
pwi t
ht he
basisunit.Forexample,
ami ll
il
it
errepresents1/1000or0.001partofalit
er.Ami l
li
gram
represents0.001gandakilogram repr
esents1000t i
mest hegram.

Thet
abl
esbel
owi
sver
yimpor
tantf
ort
hephar
maci
stt
oper
for
mint
erconv
ersi
ons.

Tabl
e1.
0Met
ri
cWei
ght
. Tabl
e2.
0Met
ri
cVol
ume

0.
001ki
l
ogr
am (
kg) =1gr
am (
g) 0.
001ki
l
oli
ter(
kL) =1l
i
ter(
L)

0.
01hect
ogr
am (
hg) =1gr
am (
g) 0.
01hect
oli
ter(
hL) =1l
i
ter(
L)

0.
1dekagr
am (
dkg) =1gr
am (
g) 0.
1dekal
i
ter(
dkL) =1l
i
ter(
L)

10deci
gram (
dg) =1gr
am (
g) 10deci
l
iter(
dL) =1l
i
ter(
L)

100cent
igr
am (
cg) =1gr
am(
g) 100cent
il
it
er(
cL) =1l
i
ter(
L)

1,
000,
000mi
crogr
am (
µg) =1gr
am (
g) 1,
000,
000mi
crol
i
ter(
µL) =1l
i
ter(
L)

1,
000,
000,
000nanogr
am (
ng)=1gr
am (
g) 1,
000,
000,
000nanol
i
ter(
nL)=1l
i
ter(
L)

Tabl
e3.
0Met
ri
cLengt
h

0.
001ki
l
omet
er(
km) =1met
er

0.
01hect
omet
er(
hm) =1met
er

0.
1dekamet
er(
dkm) =1met
er

10deci
met
er(
dm) =1met
er

100cent
imet
er(
cm) =1met
er

1,
000,
000mi
cromet
er(
µm) =1met
er

1,
000,
000,
000nanomet
er(
nm)=1met
er

AbbanAy
rah 1
Exampl
e

1)I
fanampoul
eofpar
acet
amolcontai
ns300mgofdr
ugi
n2ml
,howmany
micr
ogr
amsoft
hedrugarepr
esenti
n0.5mL?

2)Add1.
75g,
25mgand60µgandexpr
esst
her
esul
tinmi
l
li
grams

3)Thef
ouri
ngr
edient
sofachewabl
etabl
etwei
gh0.
3g,
115mg,
500µgand0.
003kg.
howmanymil
li
gramswi
llt
hetabl
etwei
gh?

4)Pediapr
ofenPaedi
atr
icsuspensioncontains80mgofibuprofenin5mlof
fthe
suspensi
on.Whil
etaki
ng2.5ml ofthi
smedi cati
on,t
hepatientspi
ll
ed0.
5ml oft
he
suspensi
on.Howmanygr amsofi buprofendidthepat
ientrecei
ve?

5)I
f200µl
,0.4ml,
0.006cl
and0.0008dl
ofapreser
vat
ivesol
uti
onar
eremov
edf
rom
acont
ainer,
howmanymi l
li
l
iter
softhesol
uti
onhavebeenremov
ed?

APOTHECARI
ES’
SYSTEM

Unli
kethemet ri
csystem whichhasunitsforweight
,vol
umeandl ength,t
he
apothecar
ies’syst
em hasunitsforweightandvolumeonly.I
tisanoldsystem whose
usageisrapidl
ydecli
ning.Thebasicunitforwei
ghtisgr
ain(gr)andthatofvol
umei s
minim( m).

Thetablebel
owshowst herelati
onshi
pbet
weenmeasur
esofl
i
qui
dvol
umeandsol
i
d
wei
ghtintheapot
hecar
ies’system.

Tabl
e4.
0Apot
hecar
ies’
flui
dmeasur
es Tabl
e5.
0Apot
hecar
ies’
sol
i
dmeasur
es

60mi
nims(
m) =1f
lui
ddr
am (
dr.
) 20gr
ains =1scr
upl
e

8f
lui
ddr
am =1f
lui
dounce(
oz.
) 3scr
upl
e =1dr
am

16f
lui
dounces =1pi
nt(
ptorO) 8dr
am =1ounce

2pi
nts(
O) =1quar
t(qt
) 12ounces =1pound(
lb)

4quar
ts(
qt) =1gal
l
on(
gal
orC) 1pound(
lb)=5760gr
ains(
gr)

Tabl
e4.
0Conv
ersi
onbet
weenf
lui
dmeasur
es

Uni
t Uni
tsy
mbol Di
vi
sion Mi
nims Mi
l
li
li
ter

Gal
l
on 1gal 4quar
ts 61440 3785

AbbanAy
rah 2
Quar
ts 1qt 2pi
nts 15360 946

Pi
nt 1pt 16f
lui
dounces 7680 473

Fl
uidounce 1oz 8f
lui
ddr
am 480 30

Fl
uiddr
am 1dr
. 60mi
nims 60 3.
69

Mi
nim ɱ 1 0.
06

Tabl
e5.
0Conv
ersi
onbet
weenwei
ghtmeasur
es

Uni
t Uni
tsy
mbol Di
vi
sion Gr
ains Gr
ams

Pound 1l
b 12ounces 5760 373.
2

Ounce 1oz 8dr

ams 480 31.
1

Dr
ams 1dr
. 3scr
upl
es 60 3.
9

Scr
upl
e 1э 20gr
ains 20 1.
3

Gr
ain Gr 1 0.
065

Exampl
e

1)I
fapr escr
ipt
ioncal
l
sforgrI
Vthyroi
ddesi
ccatedtabl
etsandt
hepharmaci
sthas
grSSinstock,howmanytabl
etsofgrSSshouldbeprovi
ded? ANS8
tabl
etsofgrSS

2)Howmanymini
msar
eoft
opi
cal
ker
atol
yti
csol
uti
onar
econt
ainedi
na4f
lui
d
dr
am bot
tl
e?

3)I
f36Supposi
tor
iesof2greachar
edi
spensed,
howmanyscr
upl
esofdr
ugar
e
di
spense?

4)Howmanyapot
hecar
youncesar
epr
esenti
nlbi
i
iss?

5)Howmanyf luiddramsremai
naft
er4flui
ddr ams,60mini
ms,
and½f
lui
dounces
ofGuai
fenasinareremovedf
rom aonepintcont
ainer
?

6)Howmanyouncesar
epr
esenti
ngrCXX?

AbbanAy
rah 3
 7)Apr
escri
pti
onr
equi
resgr1/200ofadr
ug.Ifaphar
maci
sthasgr1/
100scor
ed-
t
abl
ets,
howmanytablet
sshouldbedi
spensed?

THEAVOI
RDUPOI
SSYSTEM

Thisisalsoanoldsyst
em usedbyt hepharmacistinthepast,
fororderi
ngbulk
chemicals.Thesyst
em i
snol ongerinused.Howev er
,forr
eferenceconsider
ati
ons,
the
fol
lowingconversi
onsofavoi
rdupoisweightareprovi
ded:

1ounce(
oz)=437.
5gr
ains

1pound(
lb)=700gr
ains

THEHOUSEHOLDSYSTEM

I
nt hi
ssystem,t
hepati
entsusehouseholdmeasur
ingdev
icessuchast
het
easpoon,
dessert
spoon,
tabl
espoon,wi
ne-gl
ass,coff
eecup,
etc.

Tabl
e7:
Househol
dmeasur
es

1t
easpoonf
ul(
tsp) =5ml

1desser
tspoonf
ul(
dssp) =10ml

1t
abl
espoonf
ul(
tbsp) =15ml

1ounce =2t
bspor30ml

1wi
negl
ass =1ounce

1cof
feecup =6f
lui
dounces

1gl
ass =8f
lui
dounces

1quar
t(qt
) =1l
i
ter

Exampl
e

1)Apharmaci
stdispensed4fluidouncesofanantaci
dsuspensi
onwit
h
i
nst
ructi
onsthatthepati
enttaketwot abl
espoonf
ulsoft
hemedicat
ionf
our

AbbanAy
rah 4
 t
imesaday
.Howl
ongwi
l
lthemedi
cat
ionl
ast
?

2)I
fapati
entneedsonet easpoonf
ulofAl
upentorall
i
quidthr
eet
imesadayforten
day
s,howmanyf l
uidouncesofmedicat
ionshouldthephar
maci
stdi
spense?

3)Achil
dr ecei
ved5fl
uidounceofamoxi
cil
l
insuspensi
oncontai
ning125mg/
5ml.i
f
oneteaspoonful
wast akent
hreet
imesaday,howmanygr amsofamoxici
ll
indi
d
thechi
ldtake?

4)Howmanyt
easpoonf
ulsequal
thev
olumeofacof
feecup?

5)I
faprescri
pti
onisrequir
edforPhenerganVCwi t
hCodei
ne,
twoteaspoonf
ulsat
bedt
imeforfi
fteendays,howmanyf l
uidouncesoft
hesy
rupwouldthe
phar
macistdi
spense?

CALCULATI
ONOFDOSAGES:

Ter
minol
ogi
es

Dose:i
sthequanti
tat
eamountofamedi
cineordrugadmi
nister
edor
t
aken/r
ecommendedt obet
akenatapar
ti
culart
imebyapat i
entfort
hei
ntended
medici
nalef
fect
.

Si
ngledose:
istheamountofmedi ci
neordr
ugtakenatonet
ime.Soasi
ngl
edose
mightbeonetabl
etorcapsul
etakenall
atonce.

Dail
ydose:istheamountofmedicineordrugtakenina24-
hourper
iod.Adail
ydose
maybesubdi vi
dedandtakenindi
videddoses,twoormoretimesperdaydependi
ngon
thecharact
eri
sti
csoft
hedr ugandtheil
lness.Soify
ouaretaki
ngamedicati
ontwicea
day,youdail
ydosewouldbet het
otalofthetwodoses.

Totaldose:
ist
heent
ir
eamountofmedi
cineordr
ugt
hati
stakendur
ingt
hecour
seof
tr
eatment.

So,ify
ouaretaki
ngdr
ugfortwoweeks,
thet
otal
dosewi
l
lbet
hesum ofal
lthedoses
takendur
ingt
hosetwoweeks.

Dosager
egimen:i
sthescheduleaccordi
ngtowhichmedicineordrugistaken,
includi
ng
t
hedosageandthefrequencyofdoses.So,adosageregi
menmi ghtlookli
ke‘’
taketwo
t
ablet
s,t
hreet
imesaday ,fort
endays.Thedosageregimentakesint
oaccountnotonl y
t
heamountofthedrugormedi ci
ne,butal
sohowof t
enitshouldbetaken.

Usualadultdose:usualadul
tdoseofadrugist
heamountt
hator
dinar
il
ypr
oducest
he
medi
cinaleffecti
ntendedint
headultpat
ient
.

AbbanAy
rah 5
UsualPaedi
atr
icdose:usual
Paedi
atr
icdoseofadrugforaninf
antorchil
disthe
amountthator
dinar
il
yproducest
hemedicinal
eff
ecti
ntendedinthei
nfantorchi
ld
pat
ient.

Usual
doserange:i
sther
angeofdoseswi
thi
nwhi
cht
hedr
ugi
sexpect
edt
obe
ef
fect
iveandsaf
e.

Primi
ng/
Loadi
ngdose:isahigher
-t
han-
nor
mal dose( usualdose)ofadrugormedici
ne
thati
sgi
venatthest
artoftr
eatmentt
oachiev
et hedesiredtherapeut
icl
evel
.The
pri
mingdosei
susuall
yfoll
owedbyalower,
mai ntenancedose.

Mai
ntenancedose:Ar
etheusualdosesofadrugormedicineadmini
ster
edaccor
ding
t
othedosageregimentosust
ainthedesi
redt
herapeut
iclevel
sordrugeff
ect
s.

Prophylact
icdose:isadoseofadrugormedi
cinethati
sgivent
opreventadi
seaseor
condit
ion.Example,aprophy
lact
icdoseofav
accineisgi
ventoprev
entsomeonefrom
gett
ingadi sease.

Ther
apeuti
cdose:ist
hedoseofadr
ugormedi
cinet
hati
sneededt
oachi
evet
he
desi
redt
herapeut
icef
fect
.

Dosageform:i
sthephysicalf
orminwhichadrugormedici
neismadeav
ail
abl
efor
admini
str
ati
on,suchastablet
,sol
uti
on,
suspensi
onori
nject
ion.

Rout
eofadmi
nist
rat
ion:
ist
hepat hbywhi
chamedi cati
onist
akenint
othebody
.
Commonrout
eincl
udeoral
,topi
cal,
par
ent
eral
(inj
ectabl
e),
ophthal
mic(f
ort
heeye)and
i
nhal
ati
on.

Dosemeasurement
:ref
erstotheamountofmedicat
ionordrugsmeasuredusi
ng
measur
ingdevi
cesl
ike,
cali
bratedcups,
measur
ingcyli
nder
s,syri
ngesf
orinj
ect
able.

Numberofdoses=TotalQuant
it
y
Sizeofdose
Exampl
e

1)I
fthedoseofadr
ugi
s100mg,
howmanydosesar
econt
ainedi
n2g?

2)I
f1dessertspooni
sprescri
bedasthedose,
appr
oxi
mat
elyhowmanydoseswi
l
l
becont
ainedin1pintofthemedi
cine?

3)Howmanyt easpoonf
ulswoul
dbepr
escr
ibedi
neachdoseofanel
i
xiri
f180mL
cont
ained18doses?

4)Howmanydr opswouldbeprescr
ibedi
neachdoseofali
qui
dmedici
nei
f15mL
cont
ained60doses?Thedi
spensingdr
oppercal
i
brat
es32drops/
mL.

AbbanAy
rah 6
 5)Howmanymi l
li
l
itersofal
i
quidmedici
newoul
dpr
ovi
deapat
ientwi
th2
t
abl
espoonf
ulstwiceadayfor5day
s?

6)Howmanymi l
li
gramseachofhydr
ocodonebitar
trat
eandguai
fenesi
nwi
l
lbe
cont
ainedi
neachdoseofthef
oll
owingprescr
ipt
ion

Hy
drocodoneBi
tar
trat
e0.
12g

Guai
fenesi
n2.
4g

Cher
rySy
rupad120mL

Si
g.Teaspoonf
ulf
orcough.

7)Howmanymi l
l
il
it
ersofani
njecti
oncont
aini
ng20mgofgent
ami
cini
neach2mL
shoul
dbeusedinfi
l
li
ngamedi cat
ionor
dercal
l
ingf
or2.
5mgofgent
amici
ntobe
admini
ster
edi
ntr
amuscul
arl
y?

8) I
faVENTOLI
Ninhal
ercont
ains20mgofal but
erol
,howmanyi
nhal
ati
on-
doses
canbedel
i
ver
edifeachi
nhalat
ion-
dosecontai
ns90mcg?

CALCULATI
ONOFDOSESI
NSPECI
ALPOULATI
ON

Speci
alpopul
ati
onrefer
stogr oupofpati
entsthatmayrequi
respecialconsider
ati
ons
whenitcomestoprescri
bingmedicati
ons,l
ikePaedi
atr
icpati
ents,pregnantwomen,
el
derl
ypati
entsorpati
entwithhepati
correnalimpai
rment.Pedi
atr
icshasimmature
hepati
candr enalf
uncti
onsthataffectdrugr
esponse.Theel
derl
y,i
nadditi
ont odi
minished
organfuncti
on,fr
equentl
yhaveissuesofconcomitantpat
hol
ogiesandincreasedsensit
ivi
ti
esto
drugs.Hence,dosesarecal
culat
eint hesegr
oupbasedonpat i
entage,
weightandbodysur face
area.

Dr
ugdosagebasedonAge

Young’
srul
e

Age(i
nyears)
Chi
l
ddose =_
____
_____
___
_ _
__ XAdul
tdose
Age(i
nyears)+12

Thi
smet
hodwor
ksbestf
orchi
l
drenwhoar
ebet
weent
heageof1and12y
ear
s
ol
d.

AbbanAy
rah 7
Fr
ied’
srul
e

Age( i
nmonth)
I
nfantdose =___
__ _
___
____
___
__XAdul
tdose
150(l
b)
Thi
smethodworksbestf
ori
nfant
syoungert
han1y
earbutcanbeusedf
or
achi
ldupt
o2y ear
sold.

Cowl
i
ng’
srul
e

Ageatnextbi
rthdayi(
nyear
s)
Chi
l
ddose =_
___
_____
_____
_______
____
__ XAdul
tdose
24

Dr
ugdosagebasedonbodywei
ght

Cl
arck’
srul
e
Weight(i
nlb)
Chi
l
ddose =_
____
____
______
_ _
_____
____
_XAdultdose
150(avg.weightofadul
tinl
b)

Dr
ugdosagebasedonbodySur
faceAr
ea

Thebodysur facear ea(BSA)methodofcalcul

ati
ngdrugdosesiswi del
yusedf ortwot
ypesof
pati
entgroups: cancerpati
ent
srecei
vingchemother
apyandpedi atr
icpati
ents,wit
hthegener
al
except
ionofneonat es,whoar
eusuall
ydosedonawei ghtbasi
swi t
hconsiderati
onofageand
otherf
actors.Theav er
ageadul
tisconsi
deredtohaveaBSAof1. 73m²

Pat
ient
’sdose(
mg)=Patient
’swei
ght(
kg)X Dr
ugdose(
mg)
1kg
Ausef
ulequat
ionf
ort
hecal
cul
ati
onofdosebasedonBSAis:

Pat
ientBSA(m²)
Pat
ient
’sdose(
mg) =_
___
_ _
_____
___ X Dr
ugdose(
inmg)
1.73m²

I
fther
eisneedt
odet
ermi
neapat
ient
’sBSA,
aMost
ell
erFor
mul
amaybeused:

' '
Pat
ientBSA(
m²)= Pat
iens
t ght(
Hei incm)xPat
iens
t ght(
Wei inkg)/3600

Exampl
e
1)Cal
culat
ethechi
l
ddosef
ora2y
earol
dbaby
,wher
etheadul
tdoseoft
he
medicat
ioni
s500mg.

AbbanAy
rah 8
 2)Ifadoct ororder
sanadul tdoseofibuprofen600mgPOPRN, cal
cul
atethedose
forachi l
dwhoi s24mont hsoldusi
ngf r
iedrul
e.
3)A10y earoldgir
lwaspr escri
bedparacetamol(500mgasav erageadultdose).
Calculatethechil
ddose.
4)Ift
headul tdoseofadr ugi s25mg,whatwoul dbethedosef orachil
dwei ghi
ng
40lb,and32i nchinheight?
5)Ift
headul tdoseofadr ugi s100mg,whatwoul dbethedosef orachil
dwi thbody
surfaceareaof070m²
6)Ift
hedoseofpacl i
taxeli
nt hetr
eatmentofmet ast
ati
cov ar
iancanceris
135mg/ m² ,whatwouldbedosef orapat i
ent155cm tal
landwei ghi
ng53kg?

REDUCTI ONANDENLARGEMENTFORMULAE
Pharmaceut i
calf
ormulasarecombinat
ionsofi
ngredi
ents,eachpresentinaspeci
fi
ed
amount .Thequantit
ati
verel
ati
onshi
pbetweeningr
edient
si sfi
xed;t
hatis,i
rr
espect
ive
ofthetotalquant
ityoffor
mulaprepar
ed,ther
elat
iveamountofonei ngredi
entt
o
anotherremainsthesame.

Formulasmayber educedorenl ar
gedt hroughtheuseofaf actorgener
atedbythe
fol
lowingequati
onandappl i
edconsi st
entlytoeachingredient.
Factor= Quant ityofformuladesired
Quanti
tyoff ormulagiven
Thequant i
tyofeachi ngredi
entinaf ormul aismulti
pli
edbyt hefactort
odeter
mi net
he
quanti
tyneededinar educedorenl argedf ormula.
So,wemaysayt hat,Cal
culat
ionstoreduceorenlargef
ormulasmaybeper f
ormedbyatwo-
stepprocess.
Step1.Usingtheabov eequat ion,determi net hefactort
hatdefi
nest hemul ti
pleorthedeci
mal
fr
acti
onoft heamountoff or mul atobepr epar ed.
Step2.Mul t
ipl
ythequant i
tyofeachi ngredi entintheformulabythef act
ort odetermi
nethe
amountofeachi ngredientr equi r
edi nther educedorenl ar
gedformul a.
Example
1.Fr om thefoll
owingf or mul a,cal
culat ethequant i
tyofeachingredientrequir
edtomake
120mLofcal ami nel oti
on.
Calamine 40g
ZincOxide 40g
Glyceri
n 10g
Bentonit
eMagma 125mL
Calcium HydroxideTopi calSoluti
on, t
omake 500mL
2. From thef ol
lowi ngf ormul acal cul atethequant i
ti
esrequi redtomake5l bof
hydrophil
icoint ment.
Met hyl
paraben 0.25g
Propy l
paraben 0.
15g
Sodium lauryl sulf
ate 10g
Propy l
enegly col 120g
Stearylal
cohol 250g
Whit epetrol
at um 250g
Purifi
edwat ert omake 1000g
3. From thef ol
lowi ngformul
afor40ser
tral
i
necapsules,cal
cul
atet
hef
act
ort
hat

AbbanAy
rah 9
 wouldbeusedi faphar macistwi
shedtoprepar
e250capsul es.
Sertr
ali
ne 300mg
Sil
icagel 6g
Calci
um ci tr
ate 4g
4. From thef ol
lowingformulaforaprogest
eronenasalspr
ay,calcul
atet
hefactor
thatwoul dusedi fapharmacistwi
shedtopreparetwent
yfour15mlcontainers
ofthepr oduct.
Progetrone 20mg
Dimet hyl
-β-cycl
odext ri
n 62mg
Purifiedwat er ad 1ml
5.Calcul atethequant ityofeachingr
edientneededt
opr
epar
e15-
mLoft
hef
oll
owi
ng
opht halmicsol ut
ion
Erythromy ci
nLact obionate500mg
Dexamet hasoneSodi um phosphate 100mg
Glycer in 2.
5ml
Steril
ewat erfori
nj ecti
onad 100ml.

Formul aExpr essedi nPar t

s
Onar areoccasi on,aphar macistmayencount eranoldformulathatindi
catestheingredi
entsi
n
‘
‘part
s’’ r
athert haninmeasur esofwei ghtorvolume.Thepar t
sindi
cat et
her el
ati
veproport
ion
ofeachoft hei ngredientsinthef ormulabyeit
herweightorv ol
ume, butnotboth.Aformulafor
soli
dorsemi soli
dingr edi
ents,therefor
e,maybeconsi deredinter
msofgr ams, whereasa
formul aofliquidsmaybeconsi deredintermsofmi ll
il
i
ters.
Exampl e
From t hefoll
owi ngf ormula,calculat
ethequant i
tyofeachingredi
entrequir
edt omake1000gof
theoint ment.
CoalTar 5parts
ZincOxi de 10parts
Hy drophi l
i
cOi ntment 50parts

DENSI
TY,
SPECI
FICGRAVI
TY&SPECI
FICVOLUME

AbbanAy
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