A nurse is preparing to administer levothyroxine 0.175 mg PO once a day. The amount available is levothyroxine 88 mcg/tablet. How many tablets should the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero)
The correct answer and Explanation is :
To determine how many tablets of levothyroxine 88 mcg are needed to administer a dose of 0.175 mg, follow these steps:
- Convert the prescribed dose from milligrams to micrograms: 1 milligram (mg) = 1,000 micrograms (mcg) Therefore, 0.175 mg = 0.175 × 1,000 mcg = 175 mcg
- Determine the number of tablets needed: Each tablet contains 88 mcg of levothyroxine. To find out how many tablets are required to achieve 175 mcg, use the formula: [
\text{Number of tablets} = \frac{\text{Desired dose in mcg}}{\text{Amount per tablet in mcg}}
] Substituting the values: [
\text{Number of tablets} = \frac{175 \text{ mcg}}{88 \text{ mcg/tablet}} \approx 1.988
] - Round the result to the nearest whole number: Rounding 1.988 to the nearest whole number yields 2 tablets.
Thus, the nurse should administer 2 tablets of levothyroxine (88 mcg each) to provide a total dose of 0.175 mg.
Explanation:
Levothyroxine is a synthetic thyroid hormone used to treat hypothyroidism. Accurate dosing is crucial for maintaining thyroid function and avoiding complications. The prescribed dose in milligrams is first converted to micrograms because the available tablets are measured in micrograms. After converting the dose, you divide it by the tablet strength to find out how many tablets are needed. The result is then rounded to the nearest whole number, as tablets typically cannot be split or divided into fractions for dosing. Ensuring that the dose is rounded correctly is vital to avoid underdosing or overdosing the patient.