What is mcg in medicine?

Mcg or microgram is one of the many terms you will come across in the medical field. Before we delve into what it means, let’s set a few things straight: no, it’s not shorthand for “mom can’t go.” Although if your mom is a doctor, she could use that as an excuse to get out of dinner.

Now that we have cleared up any misunderstandings let’s jump right into the topic at hand…

The Lowdown on Mcgs

So what exactly are mcgs? They are a metric unit measurement used to express extremely small masses such as those found in medications and supplements. 1mcg = 0.000001 grams which may seem like an inconsequential amount but believe me when I say this minute quantity plays a colossal role.

MCGs help doctors and pharmacists prescribe medication according to dosage requirements by providing accurate measurements in small quantities (cue happy dance). This measurement provides precision when formulating complex compounds that require precise ratios per dose.

However don’t be fooled by their size…. these tiny terrors pack a potent punch 🔪!

Let’s take insulin for example which has doses ranging between .0015mg-200u (AKA units). That’s ranging between roughly 1/100th to two hundredths of milligrams (mg) – talk about splitting hairs!

Were you aware there were various forms of measuring volumes?😳👀 Neither was I until today:

  • One mg(weighing method)=the weight
  • One ml=the volume
  • One mEq(equivalent)=solution strength(#ions)
  • Mg/ml=concentration(measured levels given)

Picking the appropriate way to quantify medicine doses requires precise calculations especially where errors/miscalculations mean you might die ☠️💀👻 Or worse yet wish you were dead!

A Microscopic History Lesson

Let’s take a step back in time and see where the concept of mcgs originated. The metric system was developed during the french revolution to standardize weights/measures within their borders. It wasn’t commonplace until 1793💭(think how long ago that was). And, it didn’t become an official international measurement system till over a century later at the International Metric Convention in Paris(1875).

But wait there’s more!

The development of micrograms (mcgs) came years after; it started with smaller denominations such as milligrams but eventually had to get even tinier due to highly potent substances used mainly by scientists researching cures for dreadful diseases…. talk about saving lives one microgram at a time!

How Are Mcg Amounts Determined?

Now let’s go through an example calculation….

This may come-as-a-shock-to-you: calculating amount requirements isn’t just “add x fill y.” When determining what dosage should be prescribed many factors are taken into account including body weight, disease state or medical condition, drug metabolism rate among other things.

For instance:

To calculate insulin dose when using vial(s):

Units needed =total daily insulin (First find out how much/day)

                DIVIDE

               How many units is in every ml

Doctors must be extremely thorough during this process since incorrect dosages can have detrimental consequences like causing hypoglycemia which is characterized by low blood sugar levels leading to symptoms like shaking/trembling…yikes pretty scary huh? 😱

No pressure Doc!

Let’s look at another example…

  • Bob has been prescribed Nucynta.

    • He requires pain relief so Doctor orders for him

    150mcg per kilogram

    Let’s assume Bob weighs 75 kilograms…

    • 75(kg) X 150(mcg)=11250mcg

    • We need to divide this amount as one pill may not have
      needed dosage,let’s say each of Bob’s pills is 10mg

    • The need for Bob per pill:

      Based on Dosage

    Nucynta tablet concentration is:

    100 tablets =500mg

      Based on the packaging:
    

Dose in mg = (Total mcgs/1,000) x Table concentration

Therefore,

Dosage Required=11.25 ((total mcgs in round brackets divided by
thousand) multiplied by the dose found under table concentration)

              OR

Dosage Required = 11.25((11250/1000)x50)

It follows that :

 Bob requires 2.8135 tablets or rounded up to equal about
               three(3) tablets daily

Wrapping it Up

So there you have it folks! McDonnalds has their famous golden arches and medicine our little friends known as mcgs😁.

Now having followed along till here, you’re probably feeling like a master when making ill calls too huh? 😂 One thing I did learn was this – never take prescribing medication lightly nor assume those dealing them aren’t taking precautions every step of the way.

As seen in situations presented above calculations can become easily overwhelming(that’s why we thank Doc Brown for reminding us all WHY we didn’t go into scientific fields).Overall proper use and understanding doses remains paramount concerning patient outcomes.

Remember,friends; always give credit where necessary especially while administering medications!

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