How to Calculate Tube Feed Rate

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Tube Feed Rate Calculator

Calculate Enteral Nutrition Requirements & Hourly Rates

1.0 kcal/mL 1.2 kcal/mL 1.5 kcal/mL 2.0 kcal/mL
Enter 24 for continuous feeding or the specific cycle hours (e.g., 12 or 16).

Calculation Results:

Total Daily Volume: mL/day

Hourly Feed Rate: mL/hr

Water Content (Approx): mL/day

How to Calculate Tube Feed Rate

Calculating the correct rate for enteral nutrition (tube feeding) is critical to ensuring a patient meets their nutritional goals without causing complications like refeeding syndrome or GI distress. The process involves three primary variables: total caloric needs, the energy density of the formula, and the time over which the feeding will occur.

The Step-by-Step Calculation Formula

To manually calculate the tube feeding rate, follow these three steps:

  1. Determine Total Volume: Divide the daily caloric requirement by the caloric density of the formula.
    Volume (mL) = Daily Calories (kcal) ÷ Formula Density (kcal/mL)
  2. Determine Hourly Rate: Divide the total volume by the number of hours the feed is scheduled to run.
    Rate (mL/hr) = Total Volume (mL) ÷ Feeding Duration (hours)
  3. Verify Water Needs: Most formulas are 70% to 85% water. Calculate "free water" to determine if additional water flushes are needed.

Example Calculation

Imagine a patient needs 2,000 kcal/day and is using a 1.5 kcal/mL formula, to be delivered over 24 hours (continuous feeding).

  • Total Volume: 2,000 ÷ 1.5 = 1,333 mL per day.
  • Hourly Rate: 1,333 ÷ 24 = 55.5 mL/hr (usually rounded to 55 or 56 mL/hr).

Important Clinical Considerations

Always consult with a registered dietitian or physician before adjusting tube feed rates. Factors such as the patient's hydration status, protein requirements, and tolerance to the feeding rate must be assessed. For patients starting new tube feeds, clinicians typically "ramp up" the rate, starting at 10-20 mL/hr and increasing by 10-20 mL/hr every 8-12 hours until the goal rate is achieved.

function calculateTubeFeed() { var calories = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dailyCalories").value); var density = parseFloat(document.getElementById("formulaDensity").value); var hours = parseFloat(document.getElementById("feedingHours").value); var resultDiv = document.getElementById("feedResults"); if (isNaN(calories) || isNaN(hours) || calories <= 0 || hours 24) { alert("Please enter valid numbers. Feeding hours must be between 1 and 24."); return; } // Calculate Total Volume var totalVolume = calories / density; // Calculate Hourly Rate var hourlyRate = totalVolume / hours; // Estimate Free Water (Typical averages based on density) // 1.0 kcal/mL is approx 85% water // 1.2 kcal/mL is approx 80% water // 1.5 kcal/mL is approx 76% water // 2.0 kcal/mL is approx 70% water var waterPercentage = 0.85; if (density == 1.2) waterPercentage = 0.80; if (density == 1.5) waterPercentage = 0.76; if (density == 2.0) waterPercentage = 0.70; var freeWater = totalVolume * waterPercentage; // Display results document.getElementById("totalVolume").innerText = totalVolume.toFixed(0); document.getElementById("hourlyRate").innerText = hourlyRate.toFixed(1); document.getElementById("freeWater").innerText = freeWater.toFixed(0); resultDiv.style.display = "block"; }

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