Calculating the maximum recommended dose of local anesthetic.

Since patients have a wide variance in body size, it is appropriate to base the maximum recommended dose of a local anesthetic on a milligram of drug per kilogram of body weight. Other variables (severe overweight or underweight and cardiovascular compromise) also influence the appropriate maximum recommended dose. By calculating the specific dose limit from the maximum recommended dose for each patient, the chances of a local anesthetic overdose can be significantly reduced.