Calculating Dopamine Infusion Rate

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Dopamine Infusion Rate Calculator

Calculation Results

How to Calculate Dopamine Infusion Rates

Calculating the correct infusion rate for Dopamine is critical in emergency and intensive care settings. Dopamine is a potent vasopressor and inotrope used to treat hemodynamically significant hypotension and shock. Because it is weight-based, clinicians must convert the ordered dose (mcg/kg/min) into a pump setting (mL/hr).

The Standard Formula

To calculate the rate manually, you must follow these steps:

  1. Determine the Concentration: Convert the drug amount from milligrams (mg) to micrograms (mcg) and divide by the fluid volume.
    Example: 400 mg in 250 mL = 400,000 mcg / 250 mL = 1,600 mcg/mL.
  2. Calculate Required mcg per Minute: Multiply the desired dose by the patient's weight.
    Example: 5 mcg/kg/min × 70 kg = 350 mcg/min.
  3. Convert to Hourly Rate: Multiply the mcg/min by 60 minutes and divide by the concentration.
    Example: (350 mcg/min × 60) / 1,600 mcg/mL = 13.1 mL/hr.

Common Dopamine Dosing Ranges

Dopamine effects are dose-dependent, traditionally categorized into three ranges:

  • Low Dose (Renal/Dopaminergic): 2–5 mcg/kg/min. Primarily causes vasodilation in renal, mesenteric, and cerebral beds.
  • Intermediate Dose (Inotropic/Beta): 5–10 mcg/kg/min. Increases cardiac output and heart rate through Beta-1 stimulation.
  • High Dose (Vasopressor/Alpha): 10–20 mcg/kg/min. Causes significant peripheral vasoconstriction through Alpha-1 stimulation.
Medical Disclaimer: This tool is for educational purposes only. All calculations must be double-checked by a licensed medical professional before administering medication. Ensure infusion pump settings match the prescribed concentration and patient weight.
function calculateDopamineRate() { var weight = parseFloat(document.getElementById('patientWeight').value); var dose = parseFloat(document.getElementById('desiredDose').value); var mg = parseFloat(document.getElementById('drugAmount').value); var ml = parseFloat(document.getElementById('ivVolume').value); var resultArea = document.getElementById('dopamine-result-area'); var rateDisplay = document.getElementById('infusionRateDisplay'); var concentrationDisplay = document.getElementById('concentrationDisplay'); if (isNaN(weight) || isNaN(dose) || isNaN(mg) || isNaN(ml) || weight <= 0 || ml <= 0) { alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields."); return; } // 1. Calculate concentration in mcg/mL var totalMcg = mg * 1000; var concentration = totalMcg / ml; // 2. Calculate total mcg per minute needed var mcgPerMin = dose * weight; // 3. Calculate mL per hour // Formula: (mcg/min * 60) / concentration var mlPerHour = (mcgPerMin * 60) / concentration; // Display Results resultArea.style.display = 'block'; resultArea.style.backgroundColor = '#e7f3ff'; rateDisplay.innerHTML = mlPerHour.toFixed(2) + " mL/hr"; concentrationDisplay.innerHTML = "Drug Concentration: " + concentration.toFixed(0) + " mcg/mLTotal Dose: " + (mcgPerMin * 60).toFixed(0) + " mcg/hr"; }

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