16. A prescription order is written for prednisone. The patient is to start at 60 mg per day and reduce by 10 mg every two days until gone. How many 10 mg tablets need to be dispensed?
Answer: D
The total number of 10 mg tablets needed to be dispensed is 42.
The patient will start with 60 mg of prednisone, which is equivalent to 6 tablets of 10 mg. They will then reduce the dosage by 10 mg every two days until they reach 0 mg. This tapering schedule results in a total of 42 tablets needed for the entire course of treatment.
A) 6
This option is incorrect as it only accounts for the initial dosage of 60 mg, which is 6 tablets. It does not consider the tapering schedule where the patient will continue to require medication over several days, leading to a much higher total number of tablets needed.
B) 12
This option is also incorrect. While it may seem plausible at first glance, this number does not reflect the full duration of the treatment regimen. The dosage reduction over several days necessitates a larger supply of tablets than just 12.
C) 24
Option C is incorrect as well. Although it represents a larger quantity than the previous options, it still falls short of the total required for the complete tapering process. The patient will need more than 24 tablets to adequately follow the prescribed tapering schedule.
D) 42
This is the correct answer. The tapering schedule requires the patient to take 60 mg (6 tablets) initially, followed by 50 mg (5 tablets), 40 mg (4 tablets), 30 mg (3 tablets), 20 mg (2 tablets), 10 mg (1 tablet), and finally 0 mg. The total sums up to 42 tablets needed to complete the entire treatment plan as per the prescribed dosage reduction.
Conclusion
The correct answer of 42 tablets accounts for the entire course of prednisone treatment, including the initial dose and all subsequent reductions. Each incorrect option fails to consider the tapering schedule and therefore does not provide the necessary total required for the patient to complete their prescription safely.