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Taper calculator

Many pharmacy systems stop calculating once a step goes over 4 tablets a day. Enter each step of the taper, in tablets or mg, to get the total to dispense and the days supply.

Steps are written in
Quick fill a count-down taper

Drops 1 tablet a day at each step. Edit any step below after filling.

StepTablets a dayDaysRemove
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6

Dispense

42 tablets

Days supply

12 days

  1. Days 1–2: 6 tablets a day (60 mg) × 2 = 12
  2. Days 3–4: 5 tablets a day (50 mg) × 2 = 10
  3. Days 5–6: 4 tablets a day (40 mg) × 2 = 8
  4. Days 7–8: 3 tablets a day (30 mg) × 2 = 6
  5. Days 9–10: 2 tablets a day (20 mg) × 2 = 4
  6. Days 11–12: 1 tablet a day (10 mg) × 2 = 2

Worked examples

  • 6 tabs daily ×2 days, then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (2 days each)

    (6+5+4+3+2+1) × 2 = 42 tablets, 12 days

  • 4 tabs daily ×3 days, then 3, 2, 1 (3 days each)

    (4+3+2+1) × 3 = 30 tablets, 12 days

  • 6-5-4-3-2-1 dose pack, 1 day each

    6+5+4+3+2+1 = 21 tablets, 6 days

  • 40 mg daily ×5 days, then 20 mg ×5 days, 10 mg tablets

    (4 × 5) + (2 × 5) = 30 tablets, 10 days

How to work out a taper

  1. Split the directions into steps: an amount a day and a number of days.
  2. If the steps are in mg, divide by the tablet strength to get tablets a day.
  3. Multiply each step's tablets a day by its days, then add the steps up for the quantity.
  4. Add the days of every step for the days supply.

Read the directions back against the steps before you bill, and follow the pharmacist on anything unclear.

Studying for the PTCE?

Quantity and days supply questions are on the exam. Practice them in Gutta with explanations for every answer.

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