Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Pancreatin lipase units per meal and capsule counts for the GPhC assessment

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

Published 14 November 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

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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 Creon 25000 (pancreatin) gives an initial dose of one or two capsules during or immediately after each meal, with any dose increases added slowly while response and symptoms are monitored.

Each Creon 25000 capsule contains 300 mg of pancreatin, equivalent to 25,000 units of lipase, so the lipase units per meal scale directly with the capsule count.

The same information reports fibrosing colonopathy in patients with cystic fibrosis taking more than 10,000 units of lipase per kg per day, and advises that the capsule contents may be sprinkled but must not be chewed.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and keep per-meal and per-day figures separate. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Start with one or two capsules during or immediately after each meal.
  2. Multiply the capsule count by 25,000 to give the lipase units per meal.
  3. Multiply the units per meal by the number of meals to give the daily total.
  4. Divide the daily total by body weight in kg to compare with the 10,000 units per kg per day level.
  5. Add any dose increases slowly.

Three practice questions

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

Question 1

A fictional adult takes 2 Creon 25000 capsules with each of 3 meals. How many lipase units is that per meal and per day?

Show the answer

Answer: 50,000 units per meal; 150,000 units per day

Working: 2 capsules x 25,000 units = 50,000 units per meal. 50,000 x 3 meals = 150,000 units per day.

Question 2

A fictional patient with cystic fibrosis weighs 60 kg and takes 150,000 lipase units a day. How does this compare with the level at which fibrosing colonopathy has been reported?

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Answer: 2,500 units per kg per day, one quarter of the 10,000 units per kg per day level

Working: 150,000 / 60 kg = 2,500 units per kg per day. The product information reports fibrosing colonopathy in patients taking in excess of 10,000 units per kg per day, so this total sits well below that level.

Question 3

A fictional patient weighs 50 kg and is advised to stay below 10,000 units of lipase per kg per day. What daily lipase total does that threshold give, and how many Creon 25000 capsules a day is it equivalent to?

Show the answer

Answer: 500,000 units a day, equivalent to 20 capsules

Working: 50 kg x 10,000 units = 500,000 units per day. 500,000 / 25,000 = 20 capsules.

eMC SmPC: Creon 25000 Capsules

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1168/smpc

Where marks are lost

  • Reading 25000 as a pack size or capsule count instead of the lipase units in each capsule.
  • Comparing a per-meal figure with the 10,000 units per kg per day level without building the daily total first.
  • Chewing the capsule contents when the product information says they must not be chewed.
  • Jumping to a higher dose in one step instead of adding increases slowly.

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?

Multiply the capsules by 25,000 for the units per meal, multiply by the number of meals for the daily total, then divide by body weight in kg to compare with the 10,000 units per kg per day level.

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.