A 1.7 mL cartridge of Mepivacaine at 3% concentration contains how many milligrams of anesthetic?

A 1.7 mL cartridge of Mepivacaine at 3% concentration contains how many milligrams of anesthetic?

• A. 51 mg
• B. 54 mg
• C. 57 mg
• D. 60 mg

Answer: (A)

Understanding how to convert percent concentration to milligrams per milliliter lets you find the total milligrams in a cartridge by multiplying volume by mg per mL. A 3% solution has 3 g of drug in 100 mL, which is 3000 mg / 100 mL, or 30 mg per 1 mL. For a 1.7 mL cartridge, multiply 30 mg/mL by 1.7 mL: 30 × 1.7 = 51 mg. So the cartridge contains 51 mg of the anesthetic.

Understanding how to convert percent concentration to milligrams per milliliter lets you find the total milligrams in a cartridge by multiplying volume by mg per mL. A 3% solution has 3 g of drug in 100 mL, which is 3000 mg / 100 mL, or 30 mg per 1 mL. For a 1.7 mL cartridge, multiply 30 mg/mL by 1.7 mL: 30 × 1.7 = 51 mg. So the cartridge contains 51 mg of the anesthetic.