Dobutamine Infusion Calculation for a 50-lb Dog
How do you calculate the infusion rate for dobutamine in a 50-lb dog?
What is the dosage recommendation for a 50-lb dog receiving dobutamine?
Calculating Dobutamine Infusion Rate
The order for a 50-lb dog is 10 micrograms/kg/min dobutamine. Using a 250-mL bag of saline with 25 mg dobutamine added and a 15 gtt/mL IV set, how many gtt/sec will you deliver?
Calculating the infusion rate for dobutamine in a 50-lb dog involves several steps. First, we need to determine the dog's weight in kilograms, which is essential for accurate dosage calculations. Next, we calculate the total amount of dobutamine required per minute based on the recommended dosage. After that, we convert micrograms to milligrams and determine the infusion rate in drops per minute (gtt/min). Finally, we convert gtt/min to gtt/sec to get the final delivery rate.
Let's break down the calculation process:
Step 1:Determine the dog's weight in kilograms:
50 lbs / 2.20462 lbs/kg = 22.68 kg
Calculate the total amount of dobutamine required per minute:
22.68 kg * 10 micrograms/kg/min = 226.8 micrograms/min
Convert micrograms to milligrams:
226.8 micrograms/min / 1,000 = 0.2268 mg/min
Calculate the infusion rate in drops per minute (gtt/min):
0.2268 mg/min / 25 mg/250 mL = 0.009072 gtt/min
Convert gtt/min to gtt/sec:
0.009072 gtt/min / 60 = 0.0001512 gtt/sec
Therefore, the delivery rate for the dobutamine infusion in a 50-lb dog is approximately 0.0001512 gtt/sec.