DRUGS &

DOSAGES
Department of Family &
Community Medicine
Cebu Velez General Hospital

Terminologies
Recommended dose (RD) dose required based on the
weight of the patient
Given dose (GD)
Actual dose (AD)

Oral meds / Per Orem (PO)

Parenteral / Intravenous Meds (IV)

Terminologies
mkd - mg/kg/dose
mkD - mg/kg/Day
Frequency no. of times the drug is given in a day

OD (ono in die) ; q24h

BID (bi in die)
; q12h
TID (tri in die)
; q8h
QID (quater in die) ; q6h

Terminologies
ac ante cebum
pc post cebum
prn pro re nata (as the occasion arises/ when necessary)
Duration length of time that a drug is given
Eg. Antibiotics usually given in 1 week

Recommended Dose

Paracetamol 10-15 mkd

Mefenamic acid 3-5 mkD q6
Ranitidine 4-5 mkD q8
Amoxicillin 40-60 mkD q8
Cefuroxime IV: 50-100 mkD q8
PO: 20-40 mkD BID
Metronidazole 40-50 mkD q8

 Diazepam 0.2- 0.4mkd q 5min for status epilepticus

Phenobarbital for tonic-clonic seizures
(child) LD: 15-20mkd
Epinephrine
(child) 0.01 mkd max of 0.5ml IM for anaphylaxis
(adult) 0.2ml of 1:1000 for injected materials and
insect stings
Diphenhydramine
(child) IV/IM: 1-2 mkd q 4-6hrs for anaphylaxis
(adult) 50-100mg IM/IV

Given Dose (GD)

PO: GD = RD x wt (in kg) x ___1___
preparation
______________________
frequency

IV : GD = RD x wt (in kg)
frequency

Exercise: Compute for Given dose

Paracetamol 125 mg/5ml given to a 12kg child
Cefuroxime 250 mg/5ml for a 21-kg child
Amikacin 100 mg/2ml amp given to a 3.4kg neonate

Actual Dose (AD)

PO: AD = GD x preparation x frequency
wt (in kg)

IV: AD = _GD x frequency

wt

Exercise: Compute for Actual dose

1.5 ml of Co-amoxiclav (312mg/5ml) given to a 4.7 kg
infant

Gentamycin 8 mg IVTT q12h given to a 3.2 kg neonate

Cefuroxime (750mg powder/ vial, diluted in 6 cc)
3 cc IVTT given to a child weighing 19.5 kg

Conversions

1 tsp = 5 ml
1 tbsp = 3 tsp = 15 ml
1 oz = 30 ml
1 cup = 180 ml
1 glass = 200 ml

Recommended Doses of Common Drugs

ANALGESICS/ ANTIPYRETICS
Non-opioid analgesics
Paracetamol 10-15 mkd q4-6h PO, IV

NSAIDS
Aspirin (ASA) pain: 10-15 mkd 4-6h PO
KD :

80-100 mkD q6h PO

RF : 60-100 mkD q6h PO

ANALGESICS/ ANTIPYRETICS
NSAIDS

Ibuprofen 5-10 mkd q6-8h PO

Mefenamic Acid 3-5 mkD TID PO
Acetaminophen 10-15 mkd PO
Opioids
Meperidine for pain: 50-150 mg q3-4h IM/SC
Nalbuphine 0.1- 0.2 mkd q3-6h SC/IM/IV
Tramadol 50-100 mg QID PO/IV

ANTIBIOTICS
Aminoglycosides
Amikacin sulfate 7.5 mkD; 5 mkD TID IV
Gentamicin sulfate 3mkD q12h IV
Netilmicin sulfate 2-2.5 mkD q 8h IV

Cephalosphorins
1st Generation
Cephalexin 25-50 mkD q8h PO/IV
Cefazolin 50-100 mkD q8h IV/IM

Cephalosporins
2nd Generation

Cefaclor 20 mKD q8h PO

Cefuroxime 30-100 mkD q8h PO/IV/IM
Cefoxitin 20-40 mkD q6-12h IV
3rd Generation
Cefoperazone 50-200 mkD q8h IV
Ceftriaxone 20-80 mkD q24h IV/IM
Ceftazidime 150 mkD q8h IV/IM
Cefotaxime 150 mkD q6-8h IV
Cefixime 1.5-3 mkD q12h PO

 4th Generation
Cefepime 50 mkD q8-12h IV/IM

Chloramphenicol 50-100 mkD q 6h PO

Macrolides
Erythromycin 30-50 mkD BID
Clarithromycin 30-50 mkD BID
Azithromycin 10 mkD OD for 3 days only

PENICILLINS

Penicillin G 50-100,000 u/kg/day q8h

Amoxicillin 40-60 mkD q6-8h PO
Co-amoxiclav 25 mkD q8h PO
Ampicillin 25-200 mkD q6h IV/IM
Ampicillin-sulbactam 100-200 mkD q4-8h IV/ IM
Cloxacillin 50-100 mkD q6h PO
Oxacillin 50-100 mkD q4-6h IV
Flucloxacillin 250-500 mg cap QID (adults)

Quinolones
Ciprofloxacin C: 15-30mkD q12h PO/IV
A: 250-750 mg q 12h PO/IV/IM
Levofloxacin 250-500 mg OD
Ofloxacin 200-400 mg BID
Norfloxacin 200-400 mg BID

Sulfonamide Combination
Trimethroprim sulfamethoxazole/
Co-trimoxazole 8-10 mkD q12h PO

Trimethroprim sulfadiazine 120-200 mkD q6h PO

Tetracyclines
Doxycycline 2-5 mkD q12-24h PO or IV
Minocycline 100 mg BID x 5-14 days (adults)
Tetracycline 25-50 mkD q6h PO

Antihelminthics
Mebendazole 500 mg or 10 ml single dose, 100 mg
or 5 ml BID x 3 days
Pyrantel pamoate 10-20 mg/kg single dose
Oxantel pamoate 10-20 mg/kg single dose
ANTIPROTOZOALS/ AMOEBICIDE
Metronidazole 35-50 mkD q8h
Dialonoxide furoate 20 mkD q 8h for 10 days

ANTICONVULSANTS
Diazepam 0.05- 0.3 mkd IV given over 2-3 min; may
repeat q 30 min to maximal total dose of 5-10 mg
(status epilepticus)
Phenytoin
Loading dose: 15-18 mg/kg IV; do not exceed
1-3 mg/kg/min
Mainrenance dose: 6-10 mkD q12-24h

ANTICONVULSANTS
Phenobarbital
Loading dose: 15-20 mg/dose PO or IV (A&C)
Maintenance dose:
Neonates 3- 4 mkD q12-24h PO/ IV
Children 5-6 mkD q12-24h PO/IV
Adults 1-3 mkD q12-24h PO/IV

ANTI-TUBERCULOUS

Ethambutol 15mkD q 24h PO

Isoniazid (INH) 10-20 mkD q 12-24h PO
Rifampicin 10-20 mkD q24h PO; q12-24h IV
Streptomycin
Neonates 10-20 mkD q 24h IM
Children 20-40 mkD q 12h IM
Pyrazinamide (PZA) 15-40 mkD q 12-24h PO

DRUGS
&
DOSAGES
Exercises

Problem 1
An 8-year old child weighing 21 kg was
diagnosed with amoebiasis. How much
Metronidazole would you give if the available
preparation is 125 mg/5ml?

Problem 2
A 2.8 kg male neonate was thickly-meconiumstained upon delivery. Patient was noted to be
tachypneic. Antibiotics were started: Ampedia 125
mg q 6h IVTT and Amikin (100mg/2ml amp) 0.25
mg q24h IVTT. What are the actual doses?

Problem 3
A 26 kg child was brought for consult for moderategrade fever for 3 days associated with corryza and
occasional non-productive cough. Mother gave 1
tbsp of Calpol 6 Plus (250mg/ 5ml) every 4 hours
which gave temporary relief. Was the given dose
enough or too much? If not, how much would you
give?

Problem 4
A 16-kg female child was diagnosed with PCAP-B.
No previous antibiotic was given at home. What is
the drug of choice and how much would you give?

Problem 5
A 5-year old boy weighing 18 kg was admitted at
ward 1. He was given Zinnat 125mg/5ml 5 ml
q8h. What is the actual dose?