Potassium chloride 10%
Cherry syrup q.s. ad 480 mL
Sig. tablespoonful b.i.d.
How many milliequivalents of potassium chloride are represented in each
prescribed dose?
To determine the number of milliequivalents of potassium chloride (KCl) in each prescribed dose, we need to know the concentration of potassium chloride in the solution given.
In this case, the prescription mentions "Potassium chloride 10%." This means that the solution contains 10 grams of potassium chloride per 100 mL of solution.
To calculate the milliequivalents (mEq) of KCl in the prescribed dose, we need to convert the percentage concentration to milligrams and then to milliequivalents.
Step 1: Convert the percentage concentration to milligrams:
10% concentration means 10 grams per 100 mL.
To determine the amount of KCl in each milliliter:
10 grams/100 mL = 0.1 grams/mL = 100 milligrams/mL
Step 2: Calculate the milliequivalents:
To determine the milliequivalents, we need to know the molecular weight of KCl.
Molecular weight of KCl = atomic weight of K (39.1 grams/mole) + atomic weight of Cl (35.5 grams/mole) = 74.6 grams/mole
Now, we can calculate the milliequivalents using the formula:
Milliequivalents (mEq) = (Milligrams / Molecular weight) * valence factor
The valence factor for KCl is 1 because both K and Cl have a valence of 1.
Milliequivalents (mEq) = (100 milligrams / 74.6 grams/mole) * 1 = 1.34 mEq
Therefore, each prescribed dose contains approximately 1.34 milliequivalents of potassium chloride.