Ever looked at a prescription and wondered what all those units, mg, ml, IU, or drops really mean? You’re not alone. Knowing how to handle these numbers isn’t just for pharmacists. It’s a skill every patient needs, because it can literally keep you safe.
Medication units aren’t as mysterious as they sound. Most pills and liquids break down by milligrams (mg), milliliters (ml), or international units (IU). Let's say your doctor prescribes 5mg of a medication, but the pharmacy only has 2mg tablets. Do you take two? Two and a half? This is where understanding proper unit conversion comes in so you don't underdose or overdose by accident.
It gets trickier when you deal with liquid medications—like syrups for kids, or drops for the eyes. One teaspoon sounds simple, but did you know not all teaspoons are the same size? Officially, one teaspoon equals 5 ml. But mixups happen all the time when people use kitchen spoons or eyeball their dosages. Using the wrong units can seriously mess with how well your medication works—or cause real harm.
Pharmaceutical units aren’t just a math problem. They actually affect how well the medication gets into your system, how long it works, and what side effects you might get. Mixing up mg (milligram) with ml (milliliter) is shockingly common—it’s why a lot of prescription bottles come with dosing syringes or cups now. For creams and ointments, things get even more confusing with units like grams per tube or percentages per application. Sticking to the measuring tools from the pharmacy, not your kitchen, is key.
Unit conversion apps and printed guides save lives, literally. Ever needed to split a pill that has no score line? There are gadgets for that, but more importantly, pharmacists can help you double-check that splitting won’t ruin the dose. And if you’re ordering meds online, checking the units can stop you from accidentally getting the wrong strength or quantity—and wasting your money.
Some units, like International Units (IU), stick around for historical reasons, especially for vitamins (think Vitamin D) and some injectables like insulin or vaccines. Never swap these units out for mg or ml unless your doctor tells you exactly how.
Takeaway? Don’t just trust your memory, ask your pharmacist to write out the exact number and size for each dose, especially if you’re measuring out drops or liquids for kids or older adults. If you’re confused by generic packaging or international products, double-check with a pro before starting. Mistakes with units aren’t rare—they’re why pharmacists exist in the first place!
Need to compare prices or alternatives for medications in different units? Always standardize the unit (for example, cost per 100 mg) before comparing. Some online pharmacy guides, like the posts here at DrugRevenue.com, already do this heavy lifting, but knowing what to look for helps you spot deals—and avoid costly errors.
This is a question that has been debated extensively, and the answer depends on a variety of factors. Consuming 5-6 units of alcohol twice a week can be too much for some people, while others may be able to handle it without any negative side effects. It is important to consider your own individual health and lifestyle when deciding whether or not this amount of alcohol consumption is too much. Your age, gender, body composition, and health history all play a role in determining how your body processes and metabolizes alcohol. Additionally, the type of alcohol you are consuming is also important to consider when determining whether 5-6 units twice a week is too much. Ultimately, the best way to protect your health is to consume alcohol in moderation, and to avoid binge drinking.