A patient is taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) 325 mg, 2 tablets PO every 6 hours. How many grams is the patient receiving in 24 hours?
The correct answer and Explanation is :
To determine the total amount of acetaminophen a patient is receiving in 24 hours, follow these steps:
- Calculate the dose per administration:
The patient takes 2 tablets of acetaminophen, each containing 325 mg. Therefore, the dose per administration is:
[
2 \text{ tablets} \times 325 \text{ mg/tablet} = 650 \text{ mg}
] - Determine the number of administrations in 24 hours:
The patient takes the medication every 6 hours. To find out how many times the medication is taken in 24 hours:
[
\frac{24 \text{ hours}}{6 \text{ hours/administration}} = 4 \text{ administrations}
] - Calculate the total amount of acetaminophen in 24 hours:
Multiply the dose per administration by the number of administrations in 24 hours:
[
650 \text{ mg/administration} \times 4 \text{ administrations} = 2600 \text{ mg}
] - Convert milligrams to grams:
There are 1000 milligrams in a gram. To convert 2600 mg to grams:
[
\frac{2600 \text{ mg}}{1000 \text{ mg/gram}} = 2.6 \text{ grams}
]
Summary:
The patient is receiving 2.6 grams of acetaminophen in 24 hours.
Explanation:
Acetaminophen, a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic medication, is dosed based on milligrams (mg) but often needs to be converted into grams for different contexts or clinical needs. In this case, the patient’s regimen involves taking two 325 mg tablets every 6 hours.
First, you calculate the total dose per administration (650 mg) by multiplying the number of tablets by the mg per tablet. Next, determine how many times the medication is administered in a 24-hour period, which is every 6 hours, leading to four administrations. Multiplying the dose per administration by the number of administrations gives the total amount in milligrams. Finally, converting milligrams to grams involves dividing by 1000, yielding a total of 2.6 grams of acetaminophen in 24 hours.
This method ensures accurate dosing and monitoring of medication intake, crucial for both efficacy and safety in patient care.