Infusion Rate Calculator Mcg/kg/min

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Infusion Rate Calculator (mcg/kg/min)

Calculate IV pump rates in mL/hr based on weight and dosage

Calculation Result

0 mL/hr

Understanding mcg/kg/min Infusion Rates

In clinical settings, critical care medications like Dopamine, Dobutamine, or Norepinephrine are often ordered in micrograms per kilogram per minute (mcg/kg/min). Since IV pumps are programmed in milliliters per hour (mL/hr), it is essential to accurately convert these units.

The Mathematical Formula

Rate (mL/hr) = [Dose (mcg/kg/min) × Weight (kg) × 60] / Concentration (mcg/mL)

Step-by-Step Calculation

  1. Determine the Concentration: Convert the total milligrams (mg) in the bag to micrograms (mcg) by multiplying by 1,000. Then divide by the bag volume (mL).
  2. Calculate mcg per hour: Multiply the desired dose by the patient's weight and then by 60 minutes.
  3. Final Conversion: Divide the total mcg/hr by the concentration to find the mL/hr pump setting.

Example Scenario

A patient weighing 80 kg is ordered Dopamine at 5 mcg/kg/min. You have a bag containing 400 mg of Dopamine in 250 mL of D5W.

  • Concentration = 400,000 mcg / 250 mL = 1,600 mcg/mL
  • Requirement = 5 mcg × 80 kg × 60 min = 24,000 mcg/hr
  • Pump Rate = 24,000 / 1,600 = 15 mL/hr

Disclaimer: This tool is for educational purposes only. Always verify clinical calculations with a second provider and consult hospital protocols before administering medication.

function calculateInfusionRate() { var dose = parseFloat(document.getElementById('desiredDose').value); var weight = parseFloat(document.getElementById('patientWeight').value); var drugMg = parseFloat(document.getElementById('drugAmount').value); var volume = parseFloat(document.getElementById('bagVolume').value); if (isNaN(dose) || isNaN(weight) || isNaN(drugMg) || isNaN(volume) || dose <= 0 || weight <= 0 || drugMg <= 0 || volume <= 0) { alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields."); return; } // Calculate Concentration in mcg/mL // drugMg * 1000 = mcg var concentrationMcgPerMl = (drugMg * 1000) / volume; // Calculate Rate in mL/hr // (mcg/kg/min * kg * 60 min) / (mcg/mL) var rateMlHr = (dose * weight * 60) / concentrationMcgPerMl; // Output formatting document.getElementById('outputRate').innerText = rateMlHr.toFixed(2); document.getElementById('concentrationDisplay').innerHTML = "Current Concentration: " + concentrationMcgPerMl.toFixed(2) + " mcg/mLTotal Hourly Requirement: " + (dose * weight * 60).toLocaleString() + " mcg/hr"; document.getElementById('resultsArea').style.display = 'block'; }

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