What is the minimum quantity of Cephalexin that should be dispensed when prescribed for 10 days at 4 times a day when the expiration date of the bulk bottle is January 2017?

To determine the minimum quantity of Cephalexin that should be dispensed, first calculate the total number of doses required for a 10-day treatment regimen when the medication is prescribed to be taken four times a day.

You have 10 days of treatment, and if the patient is to take the medication 4 times each day, you would calculate:

10 days × 4 doses per day = 40 doses total.

Therefore, the minimum quantity that needs to be dispensed to accommodate the full course of treatment is 40 capsules or tablets of Cephalexin.

Regarding the expiration date of the bulk bottle being January 2017, this would affect whether the medication can be dispensed but does not influence the minimum quantity needed to fulfill the prescription. In practice, if the medication is expired, it cannot be legally dispensed, effectively making the actual answer related to the quality and availability of the medication rather than the required quantity.

Thus, when only considering the quantity based on the prescribed regimen, dispensing 40 units is the appropriate calculation for the prescribed treatment.