PROBLEMS IN DOSAGE CALCULATIONS LOCAL ANESTHETICS AND VASOCONSTRICTORS
1. List the milligrams of anesthetic in one cartridge of:
0.5% solution
2% solution
3% solution
4% solution
2. List the milligrams of vasoconstrictor in one cartridge of:
1:20,000 solution
1:50,000 solution
1:100,000 solution
1:200,000 solution
3. List the MRD’s of anesthetic agents:
mg/lb Absolute
0.5 % Bupivacaine
2% Lidocaine
3% Mepivacaine
4% Prilocaine
4% Articaine
4. List the MRD of vasoconstrictor:
Healthy Patient: _______mg or _______ cartridges at 1:100,000
Cardiac Patient: _______mg or _______cartridges at 1:100,000 or _____ cartridges of 1:200,000
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5. Your patient weighs 90 pounds. You want to administer 2% lidocaine 1:100,000 epi. What is the MRD of
this anesthetic agent for this patient? How many cartridges can you deliver?
6. Your patient has a history of a cardiac condition. She weighs 120 pounds. You deliver 2 cartridges of 4%
Septocaine 1:100,000. As you begin the procedure, the patient complains of sensitivity. You decide to
supplement the anesthetic. You decide to administer 3% mepivacaine. How many milligrams of Septocaine
have you delivered? How many milligrams of vasoconstrictor have you delivered? Which anesthetic should be
used to determine MRD? What is the total MRD of anesthetic for this patient? How many milligrams of
mepivacaine can safely be delivered? How many cartridge(s) of mepivacaine can you administer?
7. You have delivered 162mg of 3% Polocaine. What is the generic name of this drug? How many cartridges of
anesthetic have you delivered?
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8. Calculate the amount of A) local anesthetic and B) vasoconstrictor in the each of the following:
5 cartridges of 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine
A)
B)
2 cartridges of 3% mepivacaine, plain
A)
B)
4 cartridges of .5% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine
A)
B)
9. Calculate the Maximum Recommended Dose (MRD) for a 110 lb. healthy adult, expressed in A) mg and B)
number of cartridges, for each of following:
2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine
A)
B)
0.5% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine
A)
B)
10. What are the absolute MRDs for A) healthy adult and B) medically compromised adult (e.g., cardiac
patient) for each of the following:
2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine
A)
B)
0.5% bupivaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine
A)
B)
11. What is the MRD of 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epi for a 175 lb. healthy adult male?
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12. You have administered 2 cartridges of 4% prilocaine to your 120 lb. patient. Needing additional anesthetic,
you elect to administer 2% lidocaine w/1:100,000 epi. How much lidocaine can you administer without
exceeding the MRD for this patient?
13. Dr. Employer has asked that you anesthetize his child patient for 2 quadrants of dentistry - UR & LR. He
instructs you to administer 5 cartridges of 3% mepivacaine so the child will “get good and numb”. You estimate
the child’s weight to be 70 lbs. What should you do?
14. You have just administered 1 cartridge of 4% prilocaine plain to your 115 lb. patient who has a history of
hypertension and stable angina. Today her BP is 130/83. The patient is not profoundly numb, so you decide to
administer lidocaine 2% w/ 1:100K epinephrine. How much of the lidocaine 2% w/ 1:100K epinephrine can
you administer without exceeding the MRD for this patient?
15. You have administered 2 cartridges of Marcaine to your 190 lb. patient. How much MORE Marcaine could
you administer without exceeding the MRD for this patient?
