Medical Math, in this case, Dopamine how to get the drip rates. I know this is really really far off center on what this forum is about, but I think some people MIGHT just find this useful. I also have something for Lidocaine but I don't think it's ready yet for public consumption.
So what your about to see is how to deal with a doctors order for Dopamine at 7.5 micro grams (or mcg, in our case we use ug for that measurement) using a 60 Drops per minute (gtts) on a 220 Pound (Lbs) patient. You draw up 400mg (milligrams) of fluid from a Dopamine vial of 40mg/mL so before you enter the now 10cc of dopamine fluid you would have to discard 10cc of the 500cc normal saline bag that you are injecting the dopamine into. Because 510cc is not 500cc and the 510cc would screw up the concentration of the drug in the bag.
I understand to alot of you this is not going to make sense, it's not meant to. To the people this helps glad I could help. I also have more stuff on this subject, and I'll share them later on.
In about 2 and a half hours I have my New York State Emergency Medical Technician - Critical Care (NYS EMT-CC) piratical test. Wish me luck, I am going to need it!
So what your about to see is how to deal with a doctors order for Dopamine at 7.5 micro grams (or mcg, in our case we use ug for that measurement) using a 60 Drops per minute (gtts) on a 220 Pound (Lbs) patient. You draw up 400mg (milligrams) of fluid from a Dopamine vial of 40mg/mL so before you enter the now 10cc of dopamine fluid you would have to discard 10cc of the 500cc normal saline bag that you are injecting the dopamine into. Because 510cc is not 500cc and the 510cc would screw up the concentration of the drug in the bag.
((Dose * Weight [In Kg]) * Drip Set) / (Amount / CC of Saline) = Drip Rate
Dose = 7.5ug
Weight = 220Lbs
Drip Set = 60gtts
Amount = 400mg
CC of Saline = 500cc
((7.5ug * 220Lbs) * 60gtts) / (400mg / 500cc) = ?
First Let's convert Pounds (Lbs) to Kilograms (Kg).
220Lbs * 2.2 = 220 * 2.2 = 100Kg
((7.5ug * 100Kg) * 60gtts) / (400mg / 500cc) = ?
Now we do our inner most Parentheses as per PEMDAS.
7.5ug * 100Kg = 7.5 * 100 = 750
(750 * 60gtts) / (400mg / 500cc) = ?
We have two parentheses statements now on an equal level.
We read left to right and evaluate the equation that way.
750 * 60gtts = 750 * 60 = 45000
45000 / (400mg / 500cc) = ?
Now we have only one parentheses equation, so we evaluate that.
400mg / 500cc = 400000ug / 500cc = 4000ug / 5cc = 4000 / 5 = 800 / 1 = 800
45000 / 800 = 56.25
56.25 Drips Per Minute!I understand to alot of you this is not going to make sense, it's not meant to. To the people this helps glad I could help. I also have more stuff on this subject, and I'll share them later on.
In about 2 and a half hours I have my New York State Emergency Medical Technician - Critical Care (NYS EMT-CC) piratical test. Wish me luck, I am going to need it!
