Extemporaneous Dispensing Calculation Workshop 2

A patient requires a dose of 5 mg of a drug. The available

stock solution contains 25 mg/5mL. How much of this stock
solution would be required to deliver this dose?

How much solid would be required to produce 500 mL of a

15mg/10 mL solution?

A paediatric vitamin drop contains 0.25 mg of vitamin D in

each millilitre. How many micrograms of vitamin D are
contained in 0.2 mL of this preparation?

How much solid would be required in order to produce 750

mL of a 15 % w/v solution?

What is the percentage strength when 5 mL of disinfectant

concentrate is made up to 1 litre with water?

How much of a 1 in 150 (w/v) solution would be required to

produce 200 mL of a 0.2% solution?

You have been given the following prescription: “Paracetamol

suspension 1 g PO qid”. In the dispensary you have a
suspension that contains 120 mg of the paracetamol in each
5 mL. How much suspension would you need to dispense, to
the nearest 100 mL, for a 2 week supply?

How many grams of Eumovate Cream are contained in 200 g

of a 1 in 4 dilution of eumovate Cream in Aqueous Cream
BP?

How many grams of Betnovate Cream are contained in 300 g

of a 1 in 5 dilution of Betnovate Cream in Cetomacrogol A
Cream BPC?

You receive a prescription for the folling cream:

Calamine BP … 4%
Zinc Oxide BP … 3%
Emulsifying Wax BP … 6%
Arachis Oil BP … 30%
Water … to 100%

You are asked to prepare 50 g of the cream. How much

Arachis Oil BP must be used in this preparation?

You are presented with the following prescription:

hydrocortisone BP 2.5 g in White soft paraffin BP, dispense
50 g. What is the percentage w/w of hydrocortisone BP?
 How many capsules would you supply if the direction on the
prescription reads “2 qqh 1/52”?

What quantity of capsules would you dispense if a

prescription gave the direction “1 tds increasing to 1 qid after
a fortnight, mitte 56/7”?

Calculate the quantity of potassium permanganate required

to prepare 200 mL of a 0.25% w/v solution and give dilution
directions for 100 mL quantities of a 0.0125% solution of
potassium permanganate.

Calculate the amount of the ingredients for 300 mL of

Wintergreen Liniment.

Methyl salicylate … 25% v/v

Eucalyptus Oil … 10% v/v
Arachis oil … to 100 % v/v

A patient is receiving normal saline at 100 mL/hr. If a 1 L bag

is started at 10 am, what time will it run out?

Calculate the percentage of the drug in the following drug

formulations:

(a) Valproic acide 250 mg/ 5 mL

(b) Potassium chloride 1.48g per 4 L
(c) 80 g dextrose in a 1 L IV bag

You are instructed to make 450 g of 3% zinc oxide cream.

You have in stock 10% and 1% zinc oxide cream. How much
of each stock will you need?

You have been instructed to make 30 g of a 6% ointment.

You have on hand a 4% and an 8% ointment. How much of
each will you use?

Reference book:

1. Pharmaceutical Practice / edited by Diana M. Collett, Michael E. Aulton

2. Pharmaceutical Compounding and Dispensing, 2nd Edition/ edited by Christopher Langley and Dawn Belcher
3. Pharmacy Calculations, 3rd edition / edit by Don A. Ballington and Tova Wiegand Green.