A prescription for cyclophosphamide is 5 mg/m2 qd. If the patient's BSA is 0.82 m2, what is the dosage amount?

To determine the correct dosage amount of cyclophosphamide based on the prescribed dosage of 5 mg/m² and the patient's body surface area (BSA) of 0.82 m², it’s essential to calculate the total dosage using the formula:

Dosage (mg) = prescribed dose (mg/m²) × BSA (m²)

Substituting the values:

Dosage (mg) = 5 mg/m² × 0.82 m² = 4.1 mg

This calculation shows that the patient needs to receive 4.1 mg of cyclophosphamide based on their body surface area and the prescribed dosing. The calculated value of 4.1 mg aligns with the need for precision in medication dosing, especially for chemotherapeutic agents like cyclophosphamide, where dosing based on BSA helps to tailor therapy for individual patients. This ensures optimal therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing potential toxicity.

Understanding how to apply the BSA calculations is crucial for pharmacy technicians, as it is a common method used for dosing many cancer treatments.