Opinion
Dosing in the neonatal intensive care unit
Nabila S. Hashad
Abstract :
Over the years, pharmacy has developed from a simple floor stock system to a complex unit dose, I.V. additive, and clinical pharmacy program. This development would have never been possible without the support of the nursing, medical, and administrative staff. The support of obtained slowly by developing services that increase the pharmacist's credibility as a team member concerned with pediatric and neonate patients. These services include a unit dose program, I.V. additive program, drug information services, and pharmacy medication program. One area in which pharmacists do not obtain a background from generalized training is the area of pediatric dosing. Pediatric pharmacists must learn in clinical practice the proper dosing of the pediatric patient and neonate patient. The dose must be checked periodically. In the premature or newborn infant, the pharmacist must consider the immature renal and hepatic function so that he/she does not overdose initially and then underdose as the infant grows and matures. Neonates are a special group of children, they are less than 30 days, and within this group preterm babies (that means less than 37 weeks). Determining the correct dose for drugs used to treat neonates is a critically vital factor. Prematurity affects kidney and liver function and the proper adjustment of drug doses is crucial [1]. The absence of drug level necessitates the adjustment of drug doses and the presence of qualified oriented dependable pharmacists. Drug doses are not numbers, or decimals used within the therapeutic range. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) needs a system for the calculation and preparation of drugs [2].
References
1. Ku LC, Smith PB (2015) Dosing in neonates: Special considerations in physiology and trial design. Pediatric Research. 77: 2-9. doi: 10.1038/pr.2014.143
2. Dribika E, Hashad N, Ramadan R, Ertemi FS (2022) A protocol of drug and infusion fluid: Preparation, administration, compatibility and stability in neonatal in intensive care unit. Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2 (2): 3 - 6. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6780436
3. British National Formulary (2007) BNF 54. Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. BMJ London, UK. ISBN: 9780853697367.
Citation :
Hashad NS (2023) Neonate dosing in the intensive care unit. Mediterr J Pharm Pharm Sci. 3 (3): 60-61. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8393129