40. A patient presents the following prescription: Prednisone 20 mg b.i.d. x 2 days, 20 mg every day x 2 days, 10 mg every day x 2 days, 5 mg every day x 2 days. How many 10 mg tablets should be dispensed to fill the prescription completely, assuming doses can be split if necessary?
Answer: C
15 10 mg tablets should be dispensed to fill the prescription completely.
To fulfill the prescription accurately, a total of 15 doses of 10 mg need to be calculated from the given tapering regimen of Prednisone.
A) 8
This option is incorrect as it underestimates the total number of 10 mg doses required. The tapering schedule indicates that the total daily dosage over the specified days exceeds this amount, making 8 tablets insufficient.
B) 10
While this option might seem plausible, it is also incorrect. The tapering schedule requires more than 10 doses of 10 mg, as the patient needs a total of 15 doses to complete the prescribed regimen.
C) 15
This is the correct option. The prescription includes a total of 20 mg b.i.d. for 2 days (4 doses), followed by 20 mg daily for 2 days (2 doses), then 10 mg daily for 2 days (2 doses), and finally 5 mg daily for 2 days (2 doses). When converting these to 10 mg equivalents, it results in a total of 15 doses of 10 mg tablets required.
D) 20
This option is incorrect as it overestimates the number of 10 mg tablets needed. The required tapering schedule totals only 15 doses and does not necessitate 20 tablets, making this option excessive.
Conclusion
The calculation confirms that 15 doses of 10 mg are needed to complete the tapering regimen of Prednisone as prescribed. All other options fall short or exceed the necessary amount, highlighting the importance of precise dosing in medication management.