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convert mL/hr to mcg/kg/min |
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Example
You have received a patient from another hospital on a dopamine drip except no information was given about it. The bag is labeled with the concentration of 800 mg in 500cc of D5W. The IV pump is infusing at 53 cc/hr and the patient weighs 70kg. How much dopamine is this patient receiving? Use the example below to see how this problem was solved.
rate = 53mL/hr
weight = 70kg
dose available = 800
ml available =
500
Using the calculator, we know the patient is receiving 20 mcg/kg/min of dopamine.
Formula
Using the example above, first determine how many milligrams/hour is being delivered by the IV pump. The rate of the IV (cc/hr) is divided by the volume of the IV bag (mL available), then multiply this result by the total amount of medication (mg) in the IV bag.
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rate |
x dose available |
becomes
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53mL/hr |
x 800mg |
which = 84.8 mg/hr
Next, after the milligrams/hour has been determined, use the next formula to convert from milligrams/hour to mcg/kg/min.
|
mg |
x 1000 / kg |
becomes
|
84.8mg |
x 1000 / 70 |
which = 20.2 mcg/kg/min
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J.U.S.T - Faculty of Nursing
