A pharmacy technician is processing a prescription for potassium citrate 10 mEq tablets that instruct "Take 2 tab bid." What is the total daily dosage for this prescription?

To determine the total daily dosage for the prescription of potassium citrate 10 mEq tablets, you need to analyze the directions given, which state "Take 2 tab bid."

The term "bid" refers to the Latin phrase "bis in die," meaning "twice a day." Therefore, if the patient is instructed to take 2 tablets twice a day, this means they will take a total of 4 tablets in one day (2 tablets in the morning and 2 tablets in the evening).

Next, since each tablet contains 10 mEq of potassium citrate, you can calculate the total daily dosage by multiplying the number of tablets taken in a day by the amount of potassium in each tablet.

So, for this prescription:

• 4 tablets total per day × 10 mEq per tablet = 40 mEq

This calculation confirms that the total daily dosage for this prescription is 40 mEq.