Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Aprepitant three-day capsule packs and day-by-day doses for the GPhC assessment

Three original practice questions, with the working shown. Read the stated prescription or plan before calculating.

Published 9 November 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

A gloved hand holding several blister packs of tablets
Photo from Pexels, used under the Pexels licence. It is a stock image and does not show the exercise.

The manufacturer's UK product information for aprepitant 80 mg and 125 mg hard capsules states that aprepitant is given for 3 days as part of a regimen that includes a corticosteroid and a 5-HT3 antagonist, for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.

The same information states that the recommended dose is aprepitant 125 mg orally once daily one hour before the start of chemotherapy on day 1, and aprepitant 80 mg orally once daily on days 2 and 3 in the morning.

The pack for the 3-day regimen contains one 125 mg capsule and two 80 mg capsules. The same information states that if a corticosteroid such as dexamethasone is co-administered with aprepitant, the corticosteroid should be administered at 50% of the usual dose.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and distinguish each day's dose from the course total. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Read the stated day and match it to the stated capsule strength for that day.
  2. Add the day-by-day doses for the course total in mg.
  3. Count the capsules in the stated pack or packs.
  4. Keep day 1, days 2 and 3, mg and capsule counts separate; convert only when the question asks.

Three practice questions

Work each one on paper first, then open the answer. All patients and prescriptions are fictional.

Question 1

A fictional patient takes the label aprepitant regimen around one chemotherapy session: 125 mg on day 1 and 80 mg on days 2 and 3. What is the total aprepitant dose over the 3 days?

Show the answer

Answer: 285 mg

Working: 125 mg + 80 mg + 80 mg = 285 mg over the 3-day course.

Question 2

A fictional patient is dispensed one aprepitant 3-day pack, containing one 125 mg capsule and two 80 mg capsules. How many capsules are in the pack, and on which day is the 125 mg capsule taken?

Show the answer

Answer: 3 capsules; day 1

Working: The pack holds 1 + 2 = 3 capsules. The label states 125 mg is taken one hour before the start of chemotherapy on day 1, with 80 mg on days 2 and 3 in the morning.

Question 3

A fictional patient needs the aprepitant 3-day regimen for two consecutive chemotherapy cycles. How many packs, how many capsules, and what total dose of aprepitant are needed?

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Answer: 2 packs; 6 capsules; 570 mg

Working: One pack per cycle: 2 packs. 3 capsules per pack x 2 = 6 capsules. Course total per cycle: 125 + 80 + 80 = 285 mg. 285 mg x 2 = 570 mg.

eMC SmPC: Aprepitant 80 mg and 125 mg hard capsules

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/11726/smpc

Where marks are lost

  • Taking 125 mg on all three days; 125 mg is day 1 only, with 80 mg on days 2 and 3.
  • Counting 4 capsules per pack instead of 3: one 125 mg capsule plus two 80 mg capsules.
  • Doubling a single day's dose when the question asks for the 3-day course total of 285 mg.

Frequently asked questions

Are these official assessment questions?

No. They are original revision exercises, not official GPhC questions and not for patient care.

Does this calculation decide a real aprepitant regimen?

No. Follow the stated regimen in the exercise. Real regimens include a corticosteroid and a 5-HT3 antagonist, with interaction-driven dose adjustments.

How should I check the answer?

Lay out the day 1, day 2 and day 3 doses separately, then add them for the course total.

Sources

The questions above are original and use fictional patients and prescriptions. PreRegExamPrep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

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More calculation topics

See also the formula sheet, the eight sample questions and the approved calculator page.