Question

Please help. Calculate the loading dose, in mg of heparin for a 5-year-old with a total body weight of 40 lbs., with 10% body fat (that is, 90% of that 40 lbs. is lean body mass). You may also be interested to know that 1 kg = 2.20 lbs. Think about the steps you need to go through to find the correct dose. Remember, first you need to find the dosing mass.

Answer 1

≈ 3 mg

Explanation:

• Dose rate of heparin is 0.16 mg per kg of DM

Dosing mass calculation formula is:

• DM = LBM + (TBM - LBM)/3, where LBM = lean body mass, TBM = total body mass
• TBM = 40 lbs
• Body fat = 10%
• LBM = 90% of TBM = 0.9*TBM

Dosing mass

• DM = 40 *0.9 + ( 40 - 40*0.9)/3 = 37.33 lbs

Converting to kg

• 1 kg = 2.2 lbs

• DM = 37.33 lbs /2.2 = 16.97 kg

Loading dose

• dose = DM * dose rate per kg

• dose = 16.97 kg *0.16 mg/kg = 2.7152 mg ≈ 3 mg