Chapter 24: Problem 9
Calculate the dosages as indicated. Use the labels where provided. A client is receiving bretylium at 45 microgtt/min. The solution available is \(2 \mathrm{~g}\) bretylium in 500 mL D5W. Calculate the following: a. \(\mathrm{mg} / \mathrm{hr}\) b. \(\mathrm{mg} / \mathrm{min}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
a. 180 mg/hr, b. 3 mg/min
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Concentration of the Solution
Given: The solution contains 2 g of bretylium in 500 mL of D5W. We need to first understand the concentration in mg/mL before proceeding with the calculation.
02
Convert Grams to Milligrams
Since 1 gram equals 1000 milligrams, we convert 2 grams of bretylium to milligrams: \[2 \text{ g} = 2 \times 1000 \text{ mg} = 2000 \text{ mg} \]
03
Calculate Concentration in mg/mL
Now, determine how many mg of bretylium are in each mL of the solution: \[\text{Concentration} = \frac{2000 \text{ mg}}{500 \text{ mL}} = 4 \text{ mg/mL} \] This means there are 4 mg of bretylium in every 1 mL of the solution.
04
Calculate Flow Rate in mL/min
Next, we need to determine the volume of the solution administered per minute in mL. You are given 45 microgtt/min (microdrops per minute), and typically, 1 mL = 60 microgtts. Thus, the flow rate is: \[\text{Flow rate in mL/min} = \frac{45 \text{ microgtt}}{60 \text{ microgtt/mL}} = 0.75 \text{ mL/min} \]
05
Calculate Dosage in mg/min
Using the flow rate in mL/min (0.75 mL/min) and the concentration of the solution (4 mg/mL), calculate the dosage in mg/min: \[\text{Dosage in mg/min} = 0.75 \text{ mL/min} \times 4 \text{ mg/mL} = 3 \text{ mg/min} \]
06
Calculate Dosage in mg/hr
Convert the dosage from mg/min to mg/hr knowing that there are 60 minutes in an hour: \[\text{Dosage in mg/hr} = 3 \text{ mg/min} \times 60 \text{ min/hr} = 180 \text{ mg/hr} \]
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Drug Concentration
When dealing with medication dosages, understanding the concentration of a drug solution is essential. **Concentration** refers to the amount of drug present in a given volume of solution. For this problem, you're given a solution with 2 grams of bretylium in 500 mL of D5W.To make this information more practical, we first need to express it in more convenient units for dosage calculations.
- Convert grams to milligrams, since 1 gram equals 1000 milligrams. Hence, 2 grams becomes 2000 milligrams.
- Next, calculate the concentration in the solution by dividing the total amount of drug in milligrams by the total volume of the solution in mL: \[ \text{Concentration} = \frac{2000 \text{ mg}}{500 \text{ mL}} = 4 \text{ mg/mL} \]
Flow Rate Calculation
Flow rate is a key concept in dosage calculations when administering medications intravenously.The flow rate determines how much of the solution is delivered to the patient over a specific time period.Let's consider this exercise where the flow rate is provided as 45 microgtt/min. Knowing that there are typically 60 microgtts in a milliliter, we can calculate how much of the solution is delivered in mL:
- Convert micro drops to mL using the conversion factor: \[ \text{Flow rate in mL/min} = \frac{45 \text{ microgtt}}{60 \text{ microgtt/mL}} = 0.75 \text{ mL/min} \]
Unit Conversion
An important aspect of dosage calculation involves converting units to ensure accuracy in drug administration.In this scenario, you need to convert the dosage from mg/min to mg/hr because medications are often prescribed in different time units, and consistency between these units is crucial.To convert from mg/min to mg/hr, you use the time conversion factor since there are 60 minutes in an hour:
- First, establish the dosage in mg/min, which in this guide has been calculated as 3 mg/min based on concentration and flow rate.Next, multiply this by 60 (minutes per hour) to convert the rate to mg/hr:\[ \text{Dosage in mg/hr} = 3 \text{ mg/min} \times 60 \text{ min/hr} = 180 \text{ mg/hr} \]