RESUMO
In order to investigate the possibilities of therapeutical error in syrups administration, authors have measured the capacity of 158 home spoons (x +/- SD). They classified spoons in four groups: group I (table spoons), 49 units (11.65 +/- 2.10 cc); group II (tea spoons), 41 units (4.70+/-1.04 cc); group III (coffee spoons), 41 units (2.60 +/- 0.59 cc), and group IV (miscellaneous), 27 units. They have compared the first three groups with theoreticals values of 15, 5 and 2.5 cc, respectively, ensuring, in the first group, significant statistical differences. In this way, they analyzed information that paediatricians receive from "vademecums", which they usually consult and have studied two points: If syrup has a meter or not, and if it indicates drug concentration or not. Only a 18% of the syrups have a meter and about 88% of the drugs indicate their concentration (mg/cc). They conclude that to prevent errors of dosage, the pharmacological industry must include meters in their products. If they haven't the safest thing is to use syringes.
