Question

A 154-pound woman has been prescribed tPA (0.9 mg/kg) for an ischemic stroke. The nurse knows to give how many mg initially?

a. 6.3 mg
b. 7.5 mg
c. 8.3 mg
d. 10 mg

Answer 1

The nurse should administer approximately 62.9 mg of tPA to a 154-pound woman based on the dosage of 0.9 mg/kg for an ischemic stroke.

Step-by-step explanation:

A 154-pound woman has been prescribed tPA at a dosage of 0.9 mg/kg for an ischemic stroke. To calculate the initial dosage in milligrams, we convert the patient's weight into kilograms by dividing by 2.2046 (since there are 2.2046 pounds in one kilogram), resulting in approximately 69.85 kg. Applying the dosage recommendation, we multiply 69.85 kg by 0.9 mg/kg, giving us approximately 62.865 mg. Since medication doses are typically rounded to the nearest practical amount, the nurse would know to give 62.9 mg initially.