What is the dosage in milligrams (mg)?

Medication Dosage Information

The dosage information varies depending on the specific medication, with dosages typically expressed in milligrams (mg) and adjusted based on patient characteristics such as weight, age, and clinical condition.

Common Pediatric Medication Dosages

Antiviral Medications

For oseltamivir (Tamiflu) in pediatric patients 1:

• Children ≤15 kg: 30 mg twice daily for treatment, 30 mg once daily for prophylaxis
• Children >15-23 kg: 45 mg twice daily for treatment, 45 mg once daily for prophylaxis
• Children >23-40 kg: 60 mg twice daily for treatment, 60 mg once daily for prophylaxis
• Children >40 kg: 75 mg twice daily for treatment, 75 mg once daily for prophylaxis
• Infants 9-11 months: 3.5 mg/kg per dose twice daily
• Term infants 0-8 months: 3 mg/kg per dose twice daily

Cardiac Medications

For amiodarone in pediatric patients 1:

• IV/IO: 5 mg/kg rapid bolus (maximum: 300 mg)
• May be repeated up to a total daily dose of 15 mg/kg
• For VT/supraventricular tachycardia with pulse: 5 mg/kg (maximum: 300 mg) over 20-60 minutes
• May be followed by infusion of 5 mg/kg per minute, increased to maximum of 10 mg/kg per minute

Antihistamines

For promethazine in pediatric patients 2:

• 1-2 mg/kg per dose, with a maximum initial dosage of 50 mg
• Not recommended for children under 2 years due to risk of respiratory depression

Antihypertensive Medications

For lisinopril in pediatric patients ≥6 years 3:

• Starting dose: 0.07 mg/kg once daily (up to 5 mg total)
• Adjust according to blood pressure response
• Maximum dose: 0.61 mg/kg (up to 40 mg) once daily

Dosing Considerations

Weight-Based Dosing

Most pediatric medications require weight-based dosing to ensure appropriate therapeutic effect while minimizing adverse reactions. For example:

• Atropine: 0.02 mg/kg IV/IO (minimum 0.1 mg, maximum 0.5 mg for children) 1
• Capreomycin: 15-30 mg/kg per day (maximum 1 g/day) 1

Age-Related Considerations

Medication dosages often vary by age group due to developmental differences in drug metabolism:

• Preterm infants may require lower doses of medications like oseltamivir due to immature renal function 1
• Adolescents may transition to adult dosing for some medications

Important Precautions

1. Always verify dosage calculations, especially for high-risk medications
2. Consider renal function when dosing medications like lisinopril, where dose adjustments are required for impaired renal function 3
3. Be aware of maximum doses regardless of weight-based calculations
4. Use appropriate formulations for pediatric patients to ensure accurate dosing

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Calculation errors: Double-check all weight-based calculations
• Confusion between mg and mL: Always specify units clearly
• Adult dosing in pediatric patients: Never simply reduce adult doses proportionally
• Failure to adjust for organ dysfunction: Especially important for medications cleared by kidneys or liver

Weight-based dosing is essential for pediatric patients as they are not simply "small adults" and have unique pharmacokinetic parameters that affect drug metabolism and clearance 4.