Weights and Equivalents
The following three tables show approximate equivalents among systems of measurement.
Table 1. Liquid Equivalents Among Household, Apothecaries’, and Metric Systems
HOUSEHOLD APOTHECARIES’ METRIC
1 teaspoon (tsp) 1 fluid dram 5 milliliters (ml)
1 tablespoon (tbs) 0.5 fluid oz 15 ml
2 tbs (1 ounce [oz]) 1 fluid oz 30 ml
1 cupful 8 fluid oz 240 ml
1 pint 16 fluid oz 473 ml
1 quart (qt) 32 fluid oz 946 ml (1 liter)
Table 2. Solid Equivalents Among
Apothecaries’ and Metric Systems
APOTHECARIES’ METRIC
15 grains (gr) 1 gram (g) (1,000 milligrams [mg])
10 gr 0.6 g (600 mg)
7.5 gr 0.5 g (500 mg)
5 gr 0.3 g (300 mg)
3 gr 0.2 g (200 mg)
1.5 gr 0.1 g (100 mg)
1 gr 0.06 g (60 mg) or 0.065 g (65 mg)
0.75 gr 0.05 g (50 mg)
0.5 gr 0.03 g (30 mg)
0.25 gr 0.015 g (15 mg)
1/60 gr 0.001 g (1 mg)
1/100 gr 0.6 mg
1/120 gr 0.5 mg
1/150 gr 0.4 mg
Weights and Equivalents (continued)
Table 3. Solid Equivalents Among Avoirdupois, Apothecaries’, and Metric Systems
AVOIRDUPOIS APOTHECARIES’ METRIC
1 gr 1 gr 0.065 g
15.4 gr 15 gr 1g
1 ounce (oz) 480 gr 28.35 g
437.5 gr 1 oz 31 g
1 pound (lb) 1.33 lb 454 g
0.75 lb 1 lb 373 g
2.2 lb 2.7 lb 1 kg
Equianalgesic Doses for Opioid Agonists
An equianalgesic dose of a synthetic opioid equianalgesic dose to decrease the risk of
agonist is the dose that produces the same adverse reactions while increasing the likeli-
level of analgesia as 10 mg of I.M. or SubQ hood of adequate pain relief. The chart below
morphine, the prinicipal opioid obtained from compares equianalgesic doses (oral and par-
opium poppies. If your patient is switched from enteral) for adults and children who weigh 50
one opioid to another, expect to use the kg (110 lb) or more.
OPIOID ORAL DOSE PARENTERAL DOSE
codeine 200 mg 120 to 130 mg
(not recommended)
hydrocodone 30 mg Not applicable
hydromorphone 7.5 mg 1.5 mg
levorphanol 4 mg 2 mg
meperidine 300 mg 75 to 100 mg
morphine (around-the-clock 30 mg 10 mg
dosing)
morphine (single or 60 mg 10 mg
intermittent dosing)
oxycodone 30 mg Not applicable