Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Cefuroxime tablet strengths and course lengths for the GPhC assessment

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

Published 13 November 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

Capsules and white tablets beside a plate on a marble surface
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 Zinnat (cefuroxime axetil) 250 mg tablets gives 250 mg twice daily for acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis and for acute bacterial sinusitis, and 500 mg twice daily for acute otitis media and for acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis.

The same information states that the usual course of therapy is seven days, which may range from five to ten days.

For Lyme disease it gives 500 mg twice daily for 14 days, with a stated range of 10 to 21 days.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Match the indication to the stated strength before counting tablets. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Match the indication to the stated dose: 250 mg or 500 mg twice daily.
  2. Convert a 500 mg dose to 250 mg tablets by doubling the count.
  3. Use the stated course length; the usual course is seven days but Lyme disease is 14.
  4. Count tablets per day first, then multiply by the number of days.

Three practice questions

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

Question 1

A fictional adult is prescribed cefuroxime for acute tonsillitis at the stated adult dose for a usual course. How many 250 mg tablets does the course need?

Show the answer

Answer: 14 tablets

Working: Acute tonsillitis is 250 mg twice daily, one 250 mg tablet per dose. The usual course is seven days, so 2 x 7 = 14 tablets.

Question 2

A fictional adult is prescribed cefuroxime for an acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis over a seven-day course. How many 250 mg tablets does the course need?

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Answer: 28 tablets

Working: Acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis are 500 mg twice daily. Each dose is 500 / 250 = 2 tablets, so 4 tablets a day, and 4 x 7 = 28 tablets.

Question 3

A fictional adult is prescribed cefuroxime for Lyme disease at the stated dose and duration. How many 250 mg tablets does the course need, and how does the duration differ from a usual course?

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Answer: 56 tablets; Lyme disease runs 14 days, twice the usual seven-day course

Working: Lyme disease is 500 mg twice daily for 14 days. Each day uses 4 tablets, so 4 x 14 = 56 tablets, compared with 28 for a seven-day course at the same dose.

eMC SmPC: Zinnat Tablets 250mg

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/3810/smpc

Where marks are lost

  • Applying 250 mg twice daily to an indication listed at 500 mg twice daily.
  • Assuming every course is seven days; Lyme disease is 14 days, and the usual range is five to ten days.
  • Halving the tablet count for a 500 mg dose instead of doubling it when using 250 mg tablets.

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 dose?

No. Follow the stated prescription in the exercise. Real dosing follows the prescriber and the product information for the named product.

How should I check the answer?

Match the indication to 250 mg or 500 mg twice daily, convert to 250 mg tablets, then multiply the daily count by the stated course length.

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.