A dose calls for 5 mg of medication per kilogram of body weight. The patient weighs 6.8 kg. What is the correct dose?

A dose calls for 5 mg of medication per kilogram of body weight. The patient weighs 6.8 kg. What is the correct dose?

• A. 30 mg
• B. 34 mg
• C. 40 mg
• D. 24 mg

Answer: (B)

The dose calculation is done by multiplying the prescribed amount per kilogram by the patient’s weight in kilograms. Here, 5 mg/kg × 6.8 kg equals 34 mg, so the total dose should be 34 mg. The other numbers correspond to different weights (for example, 30 mg would be for 6.0 kg, 40 mg for 8.0 kg, and 24 mg for 4.8 kg), but with a weight of 6.8 kg, 34 mg is the correct amount.

The dose calculation is done by multiplying the prescribed amount per kilogram by the patient’s weight in kilograms. Here, 5 mg/kg × 6.8 kg equals 34 mg, so the total dose should be 34 mg. The other numbers correspond to different weights (for example, 30 mg would be for 6.0 kg, 40 mg for 8.0 kg, and 24 mg for 4.8 kg), but with a weight of 6.8 kg, 34 mg is the correct amount.