Calculating carbohydrate content of compounded medications for patients on a ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low carbohydrate, and low-protein diet designed to increase the body's dependence on fatty acids for energy rather than glucose. This diet is used as a treatment option for young children with refractory seizure disorders or inborn metabolic defects. Children on this diet must be closely monitored by a team of healthcare professionals consisting of neurologists. Accurate Calculations for daily allowances of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are essential for success of the treatment. Since pediatric patients that are on the ketogenic diet often take compounded medications, there is also a need to determine the carbohydrate content of the compounded medications. Researching and trying to calculate the carbohydrate content of compounded medications can be very time consuming. A group of PharmD candidates from Purdue University were provided with copies of the top 100 compounded oral liquids prepared at Clarian Health Partners, Inc. Their extensive research resulted in a comprehensive, quick reference list of common compounded medications and their respective carbohydrate content, the list of which is provided in this article. This list can aid physicians, caregivers, dieticians, and pharmacists in quickly calculating the patient's daily carbohydrate allowance, allowing more time to be devoted to other patient care needs.