Question

The order reads: Dopamine 10 mcg/kg/min. The bag is labeled 800mg in 250mL of NS. The patient weighs 242 pounds.   How many mL/hour will be infused?

Answer 1

The order reads: Dopamine 10 mcg/kg/min

The bag is labeled 800mg in 250mL of NS

Therefor 250 ml = 800mg

Then, 1 ml = x

Therefor, x = (800 mg x 1 ml) / 250 ml

x = 3.2 mg/ml or 3200 mcg / ml

This means each 1 ml of NS contains = 3200 mcg / ml

The patient weighs 242 pounds = 109.769 kg

Therefor,

if we need 10 mcg/min for 1kg. then, how much we need for 109.769 kg

109.769 kg X 10 mcg/min = 1097.69 mcg/min

Hence, we have administer 1097.69 mcg/min of NS or 1097.69 X 60 min = 65,861 mcg /1 hour  

Here, Each 1 ml of NS contains = 3200 mcg / ml

Therefor, (65861 mcg /1 hour) divided by 3200 mcg / ml = 20.58 ml / hour

Therefor, we have to infuse 20.58 ml / hour