InfusionRateCalculations:GeneralRulesforUnits

Drug Group Examples Units

Inotropes Dopamine Adrenaline Noradrenaline Milrinone

mcg/kg/min

Vasopressin Argipressin/Vasopressin units/kg/hr

Sedation Morphine Midazolam Clonidine

mcg/kg/hr

Prostin Dinoprostone nanograms/kg/min

Diuretics Furosemide mg/kg/hr

InfusionRateCalculations:mcg/kg/hr

Whatdoes1ml/hroftheinfusionequalinmcg/kg/hr?

Convertthetotaldoseofdrugaddedtothesyringetomicrograms(mcg)

Dividethisbypatient’sweight(inkg)

Dividebytotalvolumeinsyringe

Youcanthenmultiplythisbytherateoftheinfusion(mls/hr)togetthedose(inmcg/kg/hr)beingdelivered

HowdoIcalculatetherateinmls/hroftheinfusiontodeliverХmcg/kg/hr?

Multiplythespecifieddose(inmcg/kg/hr)bypatient’sweight(inkg)

Dividethisnumberbythedrugdoseinthesyringe(mustbeinmcg)

Multiplythisbytotalvolumeinsyringe

Thiscalculatednumberwillbetheraterequiredinmls/hrtoprovideaninfusionatarateofХmcg/kg/hr

InfusionRateCalculations:mcg/kg/min

Whatdoes1ml/hroftheinfusionequalinmcg/kg/min?

Convertthetotaldoseofdrugaddedtothesyringetomicrograms(mcg)

Dividethisbypatient’sweight(inkg)

Dividethisnumberby60

Dividebytotalvolumeinsyringe

Youcanthenmultiplythisbytherateoftheinfusion(mls/hr)togetthedose(inmcg/kg/

min)beingdelivered

HowdoIcalculatetherateinmls/hroftheinfusiontodeliverХmcg/kg/min?

Multiplythespecifieddose(inmcg/kg/min)bypatient’sweight(inkg)

Multiplythisnumberby60

Dividethisnumberbythedrugdoseinthesyringe(mustbeinmcg)

Multiplythisbytotalvolumeinsyringe

Thiscalculatednumberwillbetheraterequiredinmls/hrtoprovideaninfusionatarateofХ

mcg/kg/min