Pharmacy PEBC Practice Exam

Given that 30 g of a mild corticosteroid ointment covers the entire surface of any adult for one application, how much ointment (in grams) should be dispensed for an 18 year old patient who requires treatment on approximately 20% of her body with twice daily application for 14 days?

1. 12 g

2. 84 g

3. 124 g

4. 168 g

The correct answer is: 168 g

The 18-year-old patient requires treatment on approximately 20% of her body, which is less than the entire surface of an adult's body. However, she requires twice daily application for 14 days, which will increase the amount of ointment needed. Option A (12 g) is incorrect because it is based on the assumption that the patient only requires one application for 14 days, rather than twice daily. Option B (84 g) is incorrect because it is based on the assumption that the patient's body requires the same amount of ointment as an adult's full body. Option C (124 g) is incorrect because it is based on the assumption that the patient only requires one application per day for 14 days. Therefore, option D (168 g) is the correct answer as it accounts for the number of days and frequency of application, while also adjusting for the patient