A patient with CHF has an order for 30 mg of furosemide IM. The vial on hand reads 40 mg/mL. How much medication should be administered?

A patient with CHF has an order for 30 mg of furosemide IM. The vial on hand reads 40 mg/mL. How much medication should be administered?

• A. 2 mL
• B. 0.75 mL
• C. 0.5 mL
• D. 1 mL

Answer: (B)

To figure out how much to inject, use the idea that volume equals dose divided by concentration. You want 30 mg, and the vial is 40 mg per 1 mL. So the volume = 30 mg ÷ (40 mg/mL) = 0.75 mL. In other words, 0.75 mL of the solution delivers the 30 mg. You can double-check by multiplying: 0.75 mL × 40 mg/mL = 30 mg.

To figure out how much to inject, use the idea that volume equals dose divided by concentration. You want 30 mg, and the vial is 40 mg per 1 mL. So the volume = 30 mg ÷ (40 mg/mL) = 0.75 mL. In other words, 0.75 mL of the solution delivers the 30 mg. You can double-check by multiplying: 0.75 mL × 40 mg/mL = 30 mg.