The adult dose for oral glucose is administered as which unit?

• A. 25g PO
• B. 25 mg PO
• C. 25 mL PO
• D. 25 IU PO

Answer: (A)

Oral glucose is dosed by mass, not volume or units like IU. In adults, the goal is to deliver roughly 15–25 grams of glucose by mouth to raise blood sugar quickly in a conscious patient who can swallow. Using milligrams would be far too small to achieve a meaningful rise, and milliliters would describe a volume rather than the amount of glucose, which is measured in grams for solid tablets or gel packets. A typical glucose tablet is about 4 grams, so several tablets—around 25 grams total—are commonly used. That’s why the correct expression of the dose is 25 grams by mouth.