Pharmaceutical Mathematics Administering Medication

Question: Discuss about the Pharmaceutical Mathematicsfor Administering Medication. Answer: Definition of Pharmaceutical Mathematics Pharmaceutical Mathematics is the application of measurement and calculation tools for preparing, prescribing and administering medication. The major mathematical approaches considered for application in the field of pharmacy are statistical analysis methods, quantitative analysis and algebraic equations. Pharmaceutical mathematics enables a pharmacist to measure the proportion of ingredient for contributing to a proper medication mix (Prasacu and Mircioiu 2013). History/ Introduction to Pharmaceutical Mathematics One of the most promising areas of study and research for the specialists in pharmacy is the calculations utilised in pharmaceutical sciences. An individual might be having a vast knowledge of pharmacy; however, if the individual does not have the knowledge of mathematical calculations, he is not able to apply the learnt knowledge of pharmaceuticals in practice. Accurately performed calculations in matters of pharmacy is a critical component in the delivery of optimal patient care in all environments of pharmacy practice. It is also the duty of all technicians to carry out this responsibility. Though pharmaceutical calculations are not exaggeratedly critical, they always warrant flawless accuracy. Proper calculations lead to better patient outcomes since the better methods for treatment and prevention can inform best attempts for optimising patient care. For efficiently preparing and dispensing medications, it is desirable that a professional has the ability to perform a wide range o f calculations that are useful int he process of formulating medicines while their production is being considered. One must be continually aware of the scenario of patient harm that is likely to happen if an error occurs in the dosage calculation. It is, therefore, crucial for professionals to have adequate knowledge of calculation methods and to apply them in practice. Learning pharmaceutical is a step-by-step process where one step is dependent to a large extent on another. A good foundation base is necessary to support all the gathered knowledge, which is usually based on a well-rounded understanding of basic mathematical calculations. Technicians are expected to have sound knowledge of basic calculations like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, while emphasising on metric conversions and other similar forms of calculations. This is to include knowledge of a traditional weight system used by apothecaries known as the apothecary system as well as basic household measurements and weights. In a natural progression, the mathematic calculations that are commonly applied are Roman and Arabic Numerals, Fractions and Decimals, Ratios, proportions, and percentages (Rees, Smith and Watson 2015). Application of Pharmaceutical Maths Before 2010 Important characteristics of mathematics have overlapped with other major disciplines of science, including pharmaceutical. A large number of researchers have considered medicine to be a vital area where mathematics is to be applied. Mathematics is being constantly applied in the field of pharmacy for designing the alterations in the targeted therapies. The basic areas where pharmaceutical mathematics were applied before the year 2010 were temperature scale conversions, working with prescriptions, basic medication calculations, basic infusion calculations, calculations for billing compounds, pharmacy business maths and parenteral dosage calculations. Temperature scale conversions were applied for adjusting temperature since temperature is vital for storage of medications owing to the need of maintaining the stability of the medications. The two temperatures that are commonly referred to for this purpose are Fahrenheit and Celcius. Calculations were necessary for decoding the essentia l informations embedded in prescriptions. This was in regards to the communication of information on medication formulation, preparation, dosage regimen as well as administration of medication. The goal was to demystify the drug nomenclature. Basic concepts of mathematics were applied for calculation of dosages while administrating medications in capsule or tablet form and liquid form. Percentage of the strength of the medication of solutions were also carried out. Basic infusion calculations had been considered for dilution of stock solutions, infusion rates, calculation of dosages on the basis of the weight of the body of the patient and paediatric dosing. The ratio-proportion method had been widely used for this purpose. Previously, calculations were done for billing compounds that took into consideration cost of ingredients, dispensing fee and cost of time. Pharmacists were, as a result, able to take part in the financial aspects of pharmacy dispersal and exchange. Pharmacy business maths-enabled the pharmacists to cultivate the art of pharmacy and successfully take care of inventory receiving and purchasing at the time of turnover. Parenteral dosage calculations were done for the administration of medications through routes apart from the GI tract (Langley and Perrie 2014). Advancement of Pharmaceutical Maths Between 2010-2017 It is to be highlighted that pharmaceutical mathematics has witnessed the major transformation in the last seven years. Some drastic advancements have come into limelight within this period in the context of pharmaceutical mathematic that have contributed to prosperity in pharmaceutical science. As one of the most trusted professionals, it is expected at the present times that pharmacists dispense medications accurately by correctly carrying out pharmaceutical calculations. Applications of Mathematics in Industrial Pharmacy and Pharmacokinetics is found to have witnessed major developments in last one decade. Application of mathematics has evolved mainly in the field of institutional pharmacy. Institutional pharmacy refers to the practice of pharmacy for diagnosis and treatment of patients in long-term care facilities, family planning clinics, public health facilities, drug abuse treatment centers, convalescent homes, nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, developmental di sability centers, extended care facilities, psychiatric centers, penal institutions, hospice, mental health facilities, and athletic facilities. With the application of mathematics, the technician in the contemporary world is able to handle a wide range of tasks from compounding of sterile products to chemotherapy and calculation of radioactive decay of an isotope used for application in stress tests. Pharmacist technician is making a remarkable improvement in delivering nutritional interventions to patients with diverse needs as they are now able to handle the application of micronutrients and macronutrients, precipitation concerns, calculation of calorie requirements for patients and determination of PN volume. Another area where pharmaceutical calculations are making developments is aliquot. An aliquot is the small amount of medication that is used for a variety of purposes. These include calculation of minimum measurable quantity (MMQ), calculation of desensitisation therapies a nd calculations of solids below the MMQ (Hyma 2017). References Hyma, P. 2017.Pharmaceutical mathematics with application to pharmacy. 1st ed. Langley, C. and Perrie, Y., 2014.Maths Skills for Pharmacy: Unlocking Pharmaceutical Calculations. Oxford University Press. Prasacu, I. and Mircioiu, C., 2013.Elements of Mathematics Applied in Pharmaceutical Sciences. " Carol Davila" University Press. Rees, J.A., Smith, I. and Watson, J., 2015.Introduction to pharmaceutical calculations. Pharmaceutical Press.