Calculating Iv Flow Rate in Gtt/min – Cost Calculator

IV Flow Rate Calculator (gtt/min)

Professional Medical Drip Rate Calculation

Total Volume (mL)

Drop Factor (gtt/mL) 10 (Macro) 15 (Macro) 20 (Macro) 60 (Micro)

Time (Hours)

Remaining Minutes

Calculated Flow Rate:

0 gtt/min

How to Calculate IV Flow Rate (gtt/min)

In medical settings, calculating the intravenous (IV) flow rate is critical for patient safety. The flow rate is measured in drops per minute (gtt/min) when using gravity-fed infusions rather than electronic infusion pumps.

The Standard Formula

            (Total Volume in mL × Drop Factor) ÷ Time in Minutes = Flow Rate (gtt/min)
        

Key Components:

Total Volume: The total amount of fluid to be infused (measured in milliliters).
Drop Factor: The number of drops it takes to make up 1 mL of fluid. This is determined by the administration set (tubing) used. Common macrosets are 10, 15, or 20 gtt/mL, while microsets are always 60 gtt/mL.
Time: The duration over which the fluid should be infused, converted entirely into minutes.

Step-by-Step Calculation Example

Scenario: You need to infuse 500 mL of Normal Saline over 4 hours using a tubing set with a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL.

Convert Hours to Minutes: 4 hours × 60 minutes = 240 minutes.
Multiply Volume by Drop Factor: 500 mL × 15 gtt/mL = 7,500 total drops.
Divide by Total Minutes: 7,500 ÷ 240 minutes = 31.25 gtt/min.
Final Result: You would adjust the manual clamp to approximately 31 drops per minute.

Common Drop Factors

Tubing Type	Drop Factor	Common Use
Macro-drip	10, 15, 20 gtt/mL	Adults, large volume infusions
Micro-drip	60 gtt/mL	Pediatrics, medication infusions