21. A beclomethasone dipropionate inhaler contains 10 mg of active ingredient and delivers 200 doses. How much of the drug, in mcg, is delivered per dose?
Answer: C
Each dose of the beclomethasone dipropionate inhaler delivers 50 mcg of the drug.
To find the amount of drug delivered per dose, divide the total active ingredient (10 mg) by the number of doses (200). This results in 0.05 mg per dose, which is equivalent to 50 mcg.
A) 5
This option is incorrect because it suggests that only 5 mcg of the drug is delivered per dose. Since the total active ingredient is 10 mg and there are 200 doses, the calculation yields a higher amount than 5 mcg.
B) 20
This option is also incorrect. While 20 mcg seems closer than 5 mcg, it still underestimates the drug delivered per dose. The correct calculation shows that each dose delivers 50 mcg, which is significantly more than 20 mcg.
C) 50
This option is correct as it accurately represents the amount of drug delivered per dose. By dividing the total active ingredient of 10 mg by the 200 doses, we find that each dose provides 50 mcg of beclomethasone dipropionate.
D) 100
This option is incorrect because it overestimates the amount of drug delivered per dose. The calculation demonstrates that each dose contains only 50 mcg, which is half of what this option suggests.
Conclusion
The correct answer is 50 mcg per dose, which is derived from a straightforward calculation of the total active ingredient divided by the number of doses. Options A, B, and D fail to accurately represent the dosage, making C the only valid choice based on the provided information.