SIMPLIFICATION OF DRUG DOSAGE CALCULATION BY APPLICATION OF THE SURFACE AREA PRINCIPLE

Abstract

Observations on the relationship of administered dosage per unit of body surface area and blood concentration achieved when different amounts of sulfadiazine and acetylsalicylic acid were given patients varying widely in size indicate that a direct proportionality exists for these two drugs regardless of patient size. On the basis of this finding body surface area was used as the common denominator in the calculation of dosages of a large variety of drugs for a period of more than one year on a service dealing with patients ranging from small prematures to young adults. The clinical results suggest that this method of dosage calculation offers the advantages of simplification and greater accuracy over calculations based on a unit of body mass or on the patient's age.