Question

Gabapentin is an antiepileptic drug used for the treatment of partial seizures. Patients between ages 3 and 12 years should receive a starting dose of 15 mg/day per kilogram of body mass. This dose is administered thrice a day. What is the total dosage for a child that weighs 88 pounds? What is the size of each of the three administered doses administered in a day?

Answer 1

Gabapentin dosage for a child between 3 and 12 years = 15 mg/day per kg body mass.

Now, the dose is applied thrice every day. Assuming that the total dosage is equally divided into three parts,

The size of each administered dose per day = 15/3 mg = 5 mg.

Now, for a child weighing 88 pounds,

Body mass in kilogram = Body mass in pounds x 0.454

= 88 lbs x 0.454

= 39.952 kg

Now,

Total daily dosage for the child will be given by = Recommended dose per day per kg body mass x Total body mass

= 15 mg/day/kg x 39.952 kg

   = 599.28 mg/day.

Thus, the total daily dosage of Gabapentin for a child weighing 88 pounds is 599.28 mg.

As Gabapentin is administered thrice a day, size of each dose per kg body mass = 5 mg

So, for a child weighing 88 pounds or 39.952 kg, the size of each administered dose

= Size of each dose per kg body mass x Body mass in kg

= 5 mg/kg x 39.952 kg

= 199.76 mg

Thus, the size of each administered dose of Gabapentin for the child is 199.76 mg.