A mother asks why her 6-year-old requires a daily dose of digoxin that is twice that of an adult.The nurse explains that the larger dose is necessary because of which characteristics of children?
A) Greater resistance to medications
B) Variations in development of drug receptors
C) A slower metabolic rate than adults
D) More total body water, which dilutes the drug

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Infants and children require a total daily digoxin dose that is approximately twice that of an adult on a basis of the ratio of weight to dose.This increased requirement for digoxin is thought to be the result of a greater binding strength of the child's developing myocardial digoxin receptors.

A Mother Asks Why Her 6-Year-Old Requires a Daily Dose