67. Azithromycin suspension is available at 100 mg/5 mL and 200 mg/5 mL concentrations. A physician orders 150 mg to be given on the first day, and 75 mg to be given on days 2 through 5. How should this medication be administered?
Answer: D
7.5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension on day 1 and 3.7 mL on days 2 through 5
To administer the prescribed doses of azithromycin, 7.5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension provides the required 150 mg on the first day, while 3.7 mL will deliver the necessary 75 mg on days 2 through 5.
A) 3.7 mL of the 100 mg/5 mL suspension on day 1 and 1.8 mL on days 2 through 5
This option is incorrect because administering 3.7 mL of the 100 mg/5 mL suspension results in only 74 mg on day 1, which is insufficient compared to the required 150 mg. Additionally, 1.8 mL of this suspension only delivers 36 mg on subsequent days, which is also below the required 75 mg.
B) 3.7 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension on day 1 and 1.8 mL on days 2 through 5
This option is incorrect as well. While 3.7 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension would provide 148 mg on day 1, it still does not meet the prescribed dose of 150 mg. The 1.8 mL dosage on subsequent days yields only 72 mg, falling short of the 75 mg requirement.
C) 5.0 mL of the 100 mg/5 mL suspension on day 1 and 2.5 mL on days 2 through 5
This option is incorrect because administering 5.0 mL of the 100 mg/5 mL suspension results in only 100 mg on day 1, which is significantly less than the required 150 mg. The 2.5 mL dosage on the following days provides 50 mg, which is again insufficient compared to the required 75 mg.
D) 7.5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension on day 1 and 3.7 mL on days 2 through 5
This option is correct as it accurately provides the necessary medication dosages. On day 1, 7.5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension delivers exactly 150 mg. For days 2 through 5, administering 3.7 mL results in 75 mg, fulfilling the physician's orders.
Conclusion
The correct administration method is 7.5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension on day 1 and 3.7 mL on days 2 through 5, as it meets the precise dosage requirements set by the physician. All other options fail to provide adequate amounts of azithromycin for either the initial or subsequent doses, highlighting the importance of accurate dosage calculations in medication administration.