Dosage of Common Medications

• Analgesics
• Tylenol/Aspirin
• Route: PO/PR
• Pediatric Dose: 10 mg/kg every 4 hours
• Adult Dose: 650 mg every 4 hours
• Codeine
• Route: IM/PO
• Pediatric Dose: 0.5-1.0 mg/kg every 3 hours
• Adult Dose: 30-60 mg every 3 hours
• Morphine
• Route: IM/IV
• Pediatric Dose: 0.05-0.1 mg/kg every hour
• Adult Dose: 1-12 mg every hour
• Demerol
• Route: IM/PO
• Pediatric Dose: 1-1.5 mg/kg every 3 hours
• Adult Dose: 50-100 mg every 3 hours
• Sedatives
• Seconal
• Route: IM/IV
• Valium
• Route: PO/IM/IV
• Adult Dose: 2.5-10 mg
• Chloral Hydrate
• Route: IM
• DPT (Demerol, Phenergan, Thorazine)
• Route: IM
• Dose: demerol 2 mg/kg (50 mg max), phenergan 1 mg/kg, thorazine 1 mg/kg
• Versed
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 0.1 mg/kg
• Adult Dose: 1-5 mg
• Anti-Emetics
• Phenergan (theoretically can lower seizure threshold)
• Route: IM
• Pediatric Dose: not recommended
• Adult Dose: 12-24 mg every 4 hours
• Compazine
• Route: IM/PR/PO
• Pediatric Dose: 0.25 mg/kg/day in 2-3 divided doses
• Adult Dose: 5-10 mg IM every 6 hours
• Emetecon
• Route: IM
• Pediatric Dose: 0.5-1 mg/kg every 4 hours
• Adult Dose: 50 mg every 4 hours
• Vistaril
• Route: IM/PO
• Pediatric Dose: 1 mg/kg every 4 hours
• Adult Dose: 25-100 mg every 4 hours
• Tigan
• Route: PO/PR
• Pediatric Dose: 15 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 250 mg every 6 hours
• Ondansetron
• Route: IV
• Adult Dose: 4 mg every 6 hours
• Antiepileptics
• Phenytoin
• Target level: 10-20 mg/dl
• Route: IV/PO (equal potency, but IV must be given no faster than 50 mg/min)
• Loading Dose (pediatric and adult): 18 mg/kg
• Pediatric Maintenance Dose: 5-10 mg/kg/day
• Adult Maintenance Dose: 300-400 mg/day
• Phenobarbital
• Target level: 10-40 mg/dl
• Route: IV/PO (equal potency)
• Loading Dose (pediatric and adult): 15 mg/kg
• Pediatric Maintenance Dose: 3-5 mg/kg/day
• Adult Maintenance Dose: 90 mg/day
• Carbamazepine
• Target level: 6-12 mg/dl
• Route: PO
• Pediatric Dose (under age 12): 100 mg/kg tid or qid
• Adult Dose (over age 12): 200 mg/kg tid or qid
• Valproate
• Target level: 40-120 mg/dl
• Route: PO
• Pediatric Dose: 30-60 mg/kg/day divided qd to tid
• Adult Dose: 750-1000 mg/day
• GI Prophylaxis
• Ranitidine
• Route: IV/PO
• Pediatric Dose: 0.25-0.5 mg/kg IV divided qid
• Adult Dose: 50 mg IV every 8 hours or 150 mg PO bid
• Lansoprazole
• Route: PO/IV
• Adult Dose: 30 mg daily


• Paralytic Agents
• Pavulon
• Route: IV
• Dose (pediatric and adult): 0.1 mg/kg
• Vecuronium
• Route: IV
• Dose (pediatric and adult): 0.1 mg/kg
• Antibiotics
• Ampicillin
• Description: aminopenicillin
• Usage: gram(+) and gram(-) cocci and rods; drug of choice for Listeria monocytogenes
• Route: IV/PO
• Pediatric Dose: 20 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 250-500 mg every 6 hours
• Amoxicillin
• Description: aminopenicillin
• Usage: gram(+) and gram(-) cocci and rods
• Route: PO
• Pediatric Dose: 15 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 250 mg every 8 hours
• Nafcillin
• Description: penicillinase-resistant penicillin
• Usage: gram(+) cocci; drug of choice for Staphylococcus aureus
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 40 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult: 1 g every 6 hours
• Dicloxacillin
• Description: penicillinase-resistant penicillin
• Usage: gram(+) cocci; drug of choice for Staphylococcus aureus
• Route: PO
• Pediatric Dose: 3-12.5 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 125-500 mg every 6 hours
• Mezlocillin
• Description: extended-spectrum penicillin
• Usage: gram(-) Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Morganella, Providencia, Enterobacter
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 75 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 1.5 g every 6 hours
• Cefazolin
• Description: first generation cephalosporin
• Usage: gram(+), less gram(-); often used for prophylaxis
• Route: IV/PO
• Pediatric Dose: 13 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 1 g every 8 hours
• Ceftriaxone
• Description: third-generation cephalosporin
• Usage: gram(-), less gram(+); excellent CSF penetration
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 50 mg/kg every 12 hours
• Adult Dose: 1-2 g every day or every 12 hours
• Ceftazadime
• Description: third-generation cephalosporin
• Usage: gram(-), less gram(+); only third-generation cephalosporin effective against pseudomonas (pseudomonal meningitis)
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 50 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 1-2 g every 8 to 12 hours
• Cefuroxime
• Description: second-generation cephalosporin
• Usage: gram(+) and gram(-); poor CSF penetration
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 50 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 750-1500 mg every 8 hours
• Ceftizoxime
• Description: third-generation cephalosporin
• Usage: gram(-), less gram (+)
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 50 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 1-4 g every 8 to 12 hours
• Cefepime
• Description: fourth-generation cephalosporin
• Usage: gram(-), gram(+), pseudomonas
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 50 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 1-2 g every 8 to 12 hours
• Augmentin (Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid)
• Description: amoxicillin with beta-lactamase inhibitor
• Usage: Need for extended gram(+) coverage
• Route: PO
• Pedatric Dose: 13 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 250-500 mg every 8 hours
• Unasyn (Ampicillin + Sulbactam)
• Description: ampicillin with beta-lactamase inhibitor
• Usage: Severe infections (esp. intraabdominal)
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: not recommended
• Adult Dose: 1.5-3.0 g every 6 hours
• Imipenem
• Description: Penem class (similar to penicillin)
• Usage: Very broad-spectrum, excellent CSF penetration; always administered with cilistatin (prevent toxic metabolite)
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 12.5 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 500-1000 mg every 6 hours
• Meropenem
• Description: Penem class (similar to penicillin)
• Usage: Very broad-spectrum, excellent CSF penetration
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 12.5 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 500-1000 mg every 6 hours
• Aztreonam
• Description: Monobactam (similar to penicillin)
• Usage: gram(-) only; similar to aminoglycosides; good CSF penetration
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 50 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 1-2 g every 8 hours
• Gentamycin
• Description: Aminoglycoside
• Usage: gram(-) only; poor CSF penetration
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 1.6 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 80 mg every 8 hours
• Tobramycin
• Description: Aminoglycoside
• Usage: gram(-) only; poor CSF penetration
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 1.3-1.6 mg/kg every 8 hours
• Adult Dose: 80 mg every 8 hours
• Vancomycin
• Description: Glycopeptide
• Usage: gram(+) only; only effective agent against MRSA
• Route: IV
• Pediatric Dose: 10 mg/kg every 6 hours
• Adult Dose: 1 g every 12 hours
• Bactrim (trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole)
• Description: Microbacterial folate metabolism inhibitor
• Usage: UTI, URI (bronchitis), otitis media, GI infections, pneumocystis carinii
• Route: PO
• Pediatric Dose: 4 mg/kg trimethoprim every 12 hours, 10 mg/kg sulfamethoxazole every 12 hours
• Adult Dose: 1 DS (“double strength” = 800/160) tab BID
• Ciproflaxacin
• Description: Quinalone
• Usage: Very broad spectrum, poor CNS penetration
• Route: IV/PO
• Pediatric Dose: not recommended
• Adult Dose: 500-750 mg PO bid
• Metronidazole
• Description: Nitroimidazole
• Usage: Anaerobic infections
• Route: IV/PO
• Pediatric Dose: not recommended
• Adult Dose: 500 mg every 6 hours