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Which patient population is more sensitive to medication dosage errors?

a) male patients ages 25-40
b) bariatric patients
c) female patients ages 17-18
d) 2-month-old infant

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The most sensitive patient population to medication dosage errors is 2-month-old infants due to their developing organ systems and the precise dosing required based on their weight. The final answer is 2-month-old infants.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient population that is more sensitive to medication dosage errors is d) 2-month-old infants. Infants and children, in general, have a higher sensitivity due to their developing organ systems, particularly the liver and kidneys, which metabolize and excrete drugs.

Erroneous medication dosing in this group can have severe and potentially life-threatening consequences, far more than in adult populations.

Unlike with adult patients, dosing for infants often requires careful adjustment according to weight, and there is less margin for error. Additionally, infants cannot communicate symptoms of adverse drug reactions, which underscores the importance of precise dosing.

It's also important to consider that the other options provided, such as bariatric patients or specific gender and age groups, would not be inherently more sensitive to medication dosage errors compared to infants.

For older populations, while individual factors and comorbidities can play a role in medication sensitivity, the inherent physiological vulnerability is not as high as it is in infancy.

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