Adrenaline (epinephrine) is a critical vasopressor used in the management of hypotension, shock (especially anaphylactic and septic shock), and cardiac arrest. Accurate calculation of the infusion rate is vital for patient safety, as small changes in dosing can have significant hemodynamic effects.
This calculator determines the required flow rate in milliliters per hour (mL/hr) to set on your syringe driver or infusion pump based on the weight-based dosing strategy (micrograms per kilogram per minute).
The Calculation Formula
To manually calculate the infusion rate, you must first determine the concentration of the solution and then calculate the volume required to deliver the specific dose over time.
Step 1: Determine Concentration
Concentration (mcg/mL) = (Total Drug mg × 1000) / Total Volume mL
While institutional protocols vary, general guidelines for continuous adrenaline infusion include:
Starting Dose: Often 0.01 to 0.05 mcg/kg/min.
Titration: Titrate by 0.01–0.05 mcg/kg/min every 5–10 minutes to achieve target Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP), typically >65 mmHg.
Max Dose: Doses above 0.5 mcg/kg/min are considered high and are usually associated with profound shock states.
Common Adrenaline Preparations
In critical care settings, standard concentrations help reduce medication errors. Common "Standard Strength" and "Double Strength" mixes include:
Standard: 6 mg in 50 mL (Concentration: 120 mcg/mL).
Dilute: 4 mg in 50 mL (Concentration: 80 mcg/mL).
Concentrated: 10 mg in 50 mL or 16 mg in 50 mL (for fluid-restricted patients).
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This calculator is a clinical decision support tool intended for use by healthcare professionals only. It should not replace clinical judgment or institutional protocols. Always double-check calculations and pump settings before administering vasoactive medications.
function calculateInfusion() {
// Get input values
var amountMg = parseFloat(document.getElementById('adrAmount').value);
var totalVolMl = parseFloat(document.getElementById('totalVolume').value);
var weightKg = parseFloat(document.getElementById('patientWeight').value);
var doseMcgKgMin = parseFloat(document.getElementById('targetDose').value);
// Validation to prevent errors
if (isNaN(amountMg) || isNaN(totalVolMl) || isNaN(weightKg) || isNaN(doseMcgKgMin) || totalVolMl === 0 || amountMg === 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.");
return;
}
// Step 1: Calculate Concentration in mcg/mL
// Convert mg to mcg by multiplying by 1000
var totalMcg = amountMg * 1000;
var concentrationMcgMl = totalMcg / totalVolMl;
// Step 2: Calculate Total Dose required per hour in mcg
// Dose (mcg/kg/min) * Weight * 60 minutes
var dosePerMin = doseMcgKgMin * weightKg;
var dosePerHour = dosePerMin * 60;
// Step 3: Calculate Rate in mL/hr
// Total mcg needed per hour / mcg available per mL
var rateMlHr = dosePerHour / concentrationMcgMl;
// Display Results
var resultBox = document.getElementById('resultBox');
resultBox.style.display = 'block';
// Update Text Content
document.getElementById('resFlowRate').innerText = rateMlHr.toFixed(2) + " mL/hr";
document.getElementById('resConcentration').innerText = concentrationMcgMl.toFixed(0) + " mcg/mL";
document.getElementById('resHourlyDose').innerText = dosePerHour.toFixed(1) + " mcg/hr";
}