The factors that affect a sufficient tetracycline dose are similar to those that affect dosing of other prescription medications. The appropriate dose prescribed is at the discretion of the involved physician or health care provider. Some of the issues to be considered by this provider may be age, weight, and the nature of disease. Whether the disease is acute or chronic, mild or severe, new or reoccurring, are all questions providers must ask themselves before determining an appropriate dosing.
Physicians may attack an acute issue more aggressively than its chronic counterpart. Also, they may address severe issues with higher concentrations of a tetracycline dose than a mild version of the same bacteria. If a problem is reoccurring or the patient has had a tetracycline dose in the past, the prescribing physician may choose to use a lower dose or short-term treatment to avoid the dangerous resistance sometimes accompanying antibiotic treatment. Other factors affecting a tetracycline dose include kidney function, current medications, and other medical conditions.
If a patient's kidney functions are impaired, a lower tetracycline dose is likely. Additionally, a standard rule to follow regarding medications is that, the lower the age, the lower the dose. This, of course, is a generality as there are exceptions.
Weight follows a similar rule as, the heavier a person, the slower concentrations build in the bloodstream. This means, the heavier a person is, the more medication he or she requires. Current medications may also affect dosing as some medications interact with one another. If a patient is already on a medication that is affected by or affects tetracycline, doctors may minimize or eliminate the dose.
The frequency that tetracycline is administered can also affect its dose. If a patient is supposed to receive 500 milligrams a day, there are a number of ways in which physicians can achieve this. Patients could take a 250-mg pill twice a day or a 125-mg pill four times a day, for example. This is one way in which frequency can change dose properties.
Tetracycline is a common antibiotic prescribed for fighting many different types of bacteria. Typically, patients receive 7-day or 14-day courses. The pills most commonly come in 250-mg or 500-mg quantities, and patients usually take them two or four times a day. This is a broad idea of how doctors prescribe tetracycline, and variations are always possible at the doctor's discretion.