We are all aware of how important it is to know what medicine to use to relieve the symptoms of a particular disease. But not only this fact has a significant meaning in the treatment of various ailments. How to find out the exact dosage of the medicine? Here is the main question that not everyone knows the exact answer. This is very important, because, for example, the children's body can inadequately respond to the excessive intake of a drug.
What is dosage medication?
First of all, you need to understand what drugs are. These are the drugs that a person uses to prevent and treat various diseases. Depending on the purpose of the drug, it can be obtained from tissues and organs of animal and human, vegetable and mineral raw materials.
This contributes to its better assimilation in the human body. Medicines are released in various forms: tablets, syrups, tinctures, solutions and other options. There are several types of medicines: general-purpose( treat everyday diseases, for example, viruses and colds), potent( used for the prevention of serious diseases such as epileptic seizures), poisonous( for example, treatment of various types of tumors).
Each drug is always accompanied by an instruction, which clearly indicates the dose of the drug, the reception of which you want to start. Of course, sometimes experienced doctors write a prescription for the use of a medication, different from his instruction. And this is quite possible situation, because the doctor knows the symptoms of your disease better, your weight and age, and therefore, more precisely appoint you treatment.
The terms used to prescribe a drug dose of any drug
The dosage of the drug is, in fact, the appointment of them in the prescribed amount( dose, when it comes to tablets, syrups, tinctures, etc.) or in the right concentration( when wetalking about inhalation, ie, the ability to mix the medicine with a certain solution).
Most often, doctors indicate the unit of measure of a portion of a medicine in grams or milligrams( micrograms and more).If you do not know how to determine the exact dosage of the medicine, you should pay attention to the following concepts:
- course dose: the amount of medicine that must be taken within a certain time to get rid of all the symptoms of the disease( say, the rate is usually 3, 5,10, 14, 21 days or several months - it all depends on the medicine).This is very important when taking antibiotics, as non-observance of the course dose during their use leads to the fact that the human body produces immunity to them, and they will not bring any benefit in the treatment;
- therapeutic dose, i.e.the amount of medicine that, in the opinion of the doctor, will lead to a complete recovery of the patient;
- daily dose - the amount of medicinal product that you must consume within 24 hours;
- single dose: the amount of therapeutic substance that a patient needs to drink at one time.
It is important to note that there are concepts of the highest single dose and the highest daily dose, after which no side effects will occur in a person. There are the following therapeutic doses of medicines:
- maximum: can have an irreversible adverse effect on the body, which will eventually lead to death;
- average: the value between the maximum and minimum;
- is minimal: a dose below the norm, which will not have any effect on the disease.
How to measure the dose of a drug?
Often, people are wondering how to calculate the dosage of a medicine, having at hand handy tools( spoons, measuring cups).There are generally accepted measures of the volume of liquid that can be used in this case:
- 1 beaker - 200 ml( includes 40 teaspoons, 20 dessert spoons, 16 tablespoons);
- 1 tbsp.- 15 ml( includes 3 tsp);
- 1 dessert spoon - 10 ml( includes 2 tsp);
- 1 tsp.- 5 ml( the smallest measured dose).
The dose of medicines can be correctly calculated by means of those devices that go in the kit with preparations, for example: measuring cups, syringes-dispensers, pipette dispensers, dosage spoons.
They can easily measure out the necessary liquid medicine, or sprinkle the necessary therapeutic powder. Such dosers are usually used in home conditions for self-treatment. As a rule, they are able to measure therapeutic agents in liquid form in the range from 2.5 ml to 60 ml. Of course, in hospitals it is more convenient to use drugs in other forms( for example, liquid medications through a dropper), i.e.when doctors can easily track the rate of administration of the drug, its absorption by the patient's body and, of course, the effect of appropriate treatment.
How much of the drug enters the solution or tincture?
To answer the seemingly simple question of how to determine the exact dosage of a drug, you need to do the following calculations:
- Often, liquid medications are taken with a conventional teaspoon, the volume of which, as mentioned above, is 5 ml. For example, a doctor prescribes a medicine in the form of a syrup. On its packaging the following ratio is indicated, which, at times, leads everyone into confusion: 15 mg / 5 ml. Here everything is simple: this means that 1 tsp.the medication will contain 15 mg of this syrup. If a single dose of medicine specifically for you is 45 mg, then, you should drink for 1 reception 3 tsp.syrup.
- Sometimes, manufacturers indicate how much of the active ingredient of a liquid medicine is contained in the entire volume, for example, a syrup. Say, the package indicates that the active ingredient is 60 mg, and the volume of the entire solution is 120 ml. We count how much it will be contained in 1 ml: 60 mg / 120 ml = 0.5 mg / 1 ml. And if 1 tsp.contains 5 ml: 5 ml x 0.5 mg / ml = 2.5 mg of active ingredient in 1 tsp. Proceeding from this, we calculate our own daily dose of the medicine.
- It happens that the drug package indicates the ratio of the active ingredient to 100 mg or 100 ml. It is necessary to count everything here, as was mentioned above.
What affects the dose of the medication?
The dosage table of medications( ie all the information about the dose of the drug) usually includes the patient's age, weight, sometimes his sex.
The main thing, competent specialist, take into account all the factors influencing the taking of this or that drug:
- age and sex of the patient;
- presence or absence of chronic diseases;
- reception or absence of administration of other medications, along with the prescribed remedy;
- severity and duration of the disease.
Anyone will understand that a person with a small weight needs a smaller dose of medicine compared to a person of greater volume. Or, for example, in men, a particular metabolism, so the dose of the drug for them is usually greater than for women. That is why in the instructions to the medication indicate the average therapeutic dose, so that the attending physician himself could determine the necessary amount of the drug, specifically for you.
Calculating the dose of medication for children
The dosage of medicines in pediatrics is a rather controversial issue. Some doctors recommend calculating it based on the dose of a similar medication for an adult. But many do not tend to trust this system, because the mass of the child is much less than an adult, and the metabolism of them is much faster. Physicians argue that the growing body is more sensitive to various kinds of medications. For example, children are not likely to use alcohol, drugs, nicotine, which are often part of medicines. And their negative impact is most noticeable on a small organism. Therefore, the dosage of medicines for children is calculated on the basis of data on the body weight of the baby( 1 kg), body surface area( 1 square meter), the number of years of his life.
You also need to understand that the reaction to the same medicine in different children can be completely different. Everything depends on the genetic predisposition of the child to diseases, the presence of chronic diseases and much more. Often the effectiveness of the drug is regulated by reducing or increasing its dose. It is important for inexperienced parents to know that the way they are administered( orally, rectally, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, intravenously) also has a direct effect on efficacy. A portion of any medication for children is usually calculated in two specific ways:
- based on the weight of the child: per 1 kg;
- based on the age of the child: indicates the age( before or after what year, you can give the medicine to the baby).
If you are using drugs that are manufactured for adults, then the dose that is presented in the form of a summary should be observed per child. Drug dosage table:
| Age of child | Percentage of drug relative to adult dose of |
| up to 6 months. | 1/10 - 1/8 |
| 6 months- 12 months. | 1/8 - 1/7 |
| 12 months- 24 months. | 1/7 - 1/6 |
| 24 months-3 years | 1/6 - 1/5 |
| 3-4 years | 1/5 - 1/4 |
| 4-6 years | 1/4 - 1/3 |
| 6-8 years | 1/3 - 1/2 |
| 8-10 years | 1/2 - 3/4 |
| 10-14 years | 3/4 - 5/6 |
| 14-18 years | 5/6 - 1 |
Of course, the best way to treat a child is using drugs that are produced specificallyfor young children. First, manufacturers, producing exactly these medicines, observe much more requirements to the quality of products. Secondly, it is very difficult to choose and make the right dose of a medicine, for example, from a similar tablet for an adult. Sometimes the active substance there is greater than what the child really needs to treat the disease.
Calculating the dose of medication for adults
In principle, medication for adults should be taken on the basis of those instructions that are attached to them. The main thing is to observe the following rules and not to deviate from them:
- carefully follow the doctor's prescriptions, do not engage in self-medication;
- it is fundamentally important to calculate correctly a single, daily and course dose of any drug, based on the weight and sex of an adult;
- buy medicines only in the checked places, so as not to get a fake.
Remember that any medicine is, first of all, a chemical compound that can bring your health not only a benefit in the form of recovery, but also cause significant harm if it is misused.
Recipe attached to medicines: Does it need?
How do I find out the exact dosage of the medication when I apply it for the first time? In this you will definitely help the prescription, which is usually attached to each drug. There, in addition to the medicinal properties of the medicine, a single, daily dose is indicated, as well as the dose for the course of taking the drug. The correct administration of the medication affects the duration and effectiveness of the patient's recovery process. It is important to know that sometimes doctors underestimate the course dose of a given drug. If such a mismatch in the appointment of a specialist is found and the prescription attached to the medicine is worth asking the appropriate question to him. After all, often the dose of drugs directly depends on the weight of a person, the presence of chronic diseases, age, etc. And the task of the doctor in this case is to correctly adjust it.
Nebulizer and doses of medicines to it
As you know, scientific progress does not stand still, and more recently a well-known apparatus for treating diseases of the nasal cavity and throat in children and adults - nebulizer.
As the patients themselves note, the results from the treatment by this device are simply excellent: first, it takes much less time to finally get rid of the signs of the disease;secondly, you spend much less money on the very process of treatment.
Just remember, self-medication is not necessary here, medication and dosages for the nebulizer should be prescribed by an experienced doctor. The meaning of his work is as follows: you fill the necessary preparation in a special container, mixing it in certain proportions with saline solution, and breathe the formed vapor( which is created by the work of a compressor or ultrasound).Thus, the medicine is distributed along the pharynx or nasal cavity and has a positive effect on their treatment. It is important to know the medications and dosages for the nebulizer that are used in modern devices:
- sodium chloride solution( it is only a solvent of the drug);
- solution "Berodual"( enlarges the bronchi);
- suspension "Pulmicort"( dries the nasal mucosa with a strong runny nose);
- alcohol solution of chlorophyllipt: relieves coughing attacks and displays phlegm.
There are a lot of drugs that are used in modern nebulizers. It is important to understand what dosage of medication for inhalation is needed in one or another case.
Overdose of medicines - is it dangerous for life?
I want to note that such situations arise quite often in everyday life. People, not having read the instruction, accept, as it seems to them, the normal amount of this or that medicinal product. They immediately have the following symptoms: nausea, dizziness, headache, weakness, involuntary muscle contraction.
All this can lead to death. To correct the situation in a short time, you need to urgently cause vomiting, rinse the stomach to the patient and seek help from a medical institution. While you are waiting for an ambulance, drink strong black tea, only not milk, it can cause an even stronger effect of intoxication. To avoid such situations, you need to understand what is the dosage of medications, and without fail to observe it.
It is important to realize that when you apply this or that medicine, you use certain chemicals that, besides good, can cause significant harm. Since even with a minimal overdose, they turn into poison, which can lead to disastrous consequences. This is especially true for young patients whose parents are primarily responsible for their lives. Therefore, before taking this or that drug( especially when it comes to children), it is necessary to consult a doctor, calculate its correct dose and in no case to deviate from this value.