In terms of doses, the vast majority of solid dosage forms and liquid
concentrations deal with quantities of less than one gram, so the dose
is most often expressed in milligrams. However, marketing plays a strong
role in determining prescribing habits, i.e., drugs such as Glucophage
(metformin) are expressed by the manufacturer in milligrams at all
times, and the product is available in a 1000 mg strength (i.e., the
manufacturer labels the product as 1000 mg tablets, not 1 g tablets). I
am sad to report, however, that even pharmaceuticals can be labeled by
manufacturers using the incorrect "Gm.".
On the bright side, I do see many PRESCRIBERS using the correct "g" for
gram in their own handwriting.
All of this inconsistent thinking does demonstrate, to me anyway, the
lack of at least a mental standard of measurement, and it is my hope
that the metric education that is to come (or even that which has
already started) will orient all US citizens to a true standard in
measurement.
When patients sign consent forms for medical procedures in the USA, one
clause on the document states that "medicine is not an exact science".
We Americans have the measurement "system" to prove that, too!!!
Perhaps, by 2100, both medicine and metrology will receive the title of
exact science in the USA, as metrication and the human genome project
proceed to fruition.
Pat Naughtin wrote:
>
> Dear Paul and All,
>
> This note is additional to my previous message.
>
> on 07.01.2001 07.21, Paul Trusten at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> > A few (VERY few) prescribers write ALL of their prescriptions in grams,
> > i.e., if there is a 1 mg dose, the order is written as 0|001, and 25 mcg
> > is written as 0|000|025. This would be a good safeguard if everybody did
> > it as a standard notation, but few do it, and it probably raises more
> > questions than it answers when it appears.
>
> Another approach would be to encourage the use of a practice where you are
> restricted to the numbers between 1 and 1000 inclusive. If you go outside
> this range you will be required to change your prefix.
>
> Examples:
>
> Write 234 mg and not 0.234 g
> Write 1.234 g and not 1234 mg
>
> Using this convention a leading zero would not be required so that problem
> disappears.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Pat Naughtin CAMS
> Geelong, Australia
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
(915)-694-6208
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
