A medication is ordered as 0.4 mg/kg. Patient weight is 72 kg. What is the prescribed dose?

A medication is ordered as 0.4 mg/kg. Patient weight is 72 kg. What is the prescribed dose?

• A. 14.4 mg
• B. 40 mg
• C. 28.8 mg
• D. 72 mg

Answer: (C)

Weight-based dosing uses Dose = (mg per kg) × (body weight). Here, 0.4 mg per kg times 72 kg equals 0.4 × 72 = 28.8 mg. So the prescribed dose is 28.8 mg. This result reflects applying the per-kilogram dose directly to the patient’s weight; changing either the per-kilogram amount or the weight would yield a different total.

Weight-based dosing uses Dose = (mg per kg) × (body weight). Here, 0.4 mg per kg times 72 kg equals 0.4 × 72 = 28.8 mg. So the prescribed dose is 28.8 mg. This result reflects applying the per-kilogram dose directly to the patient’s weight; changing either the per-kilogram amount or the weight would yield a different total.