IV Drug Administration

Drug Calculations

November 2007

Drug Calculation Assessment

SECTION 1: Units & Equivalences
SECTION 2: Calculating dose as volume
SECTION 3: Drug Strengths & Stated
Concentrations
SECTION 4: Duration of Infusion Stated
rate (dose per min) & Infusion rate (mL/hr)
SECTION 5: Infusion Rate Calculations

SECTION 1:
Units & Equivalences
1 Kg =

1,000 g

1g=

1,000 mg

1 mg =

1,000 micrograms

1L=

1,000 mL

Converting from One Unit to

Another
To convert from a larger unit to a
smaller unit, multiply by 1000 or move
the decimal point three places to the
right
To convert from a smaller unit to a
larger unit, divide by 1000 or move the
decimal point three places to the left

Units & Equivalences

Convert 0.25 mg into micrograms
Convert 600 micrograms to mg

Answers
0.25 1000 or move decimal point
three places to the RIGHT
= 250 micrograms
600 1000 or move the decimal point
three places to the LEFT
= 0.6 mg

SECTION 2: Calculating Dose as

Volume
What you WANT
X what it is IN
What you have GOT
= the volume you want to administer

A patient is prescribed 200mg of Furosemide I.V. The

ampoules available contain 250mg in 10mL. What volume
containing the drug do you need to administer?
Time

Furosemide

0700-0900

1200-1400

Dose
200mg

Route

Start Date

IV

18.05.07

End
Date

What it is

IN

1600-1800

2200-2400

Other Time

Signature of
Doctor

Furosemide
250mg/10mL

P.Rescriber

What we

WANT

What we
have GOT

Answer
What you WANT
X what it is IN
What you have GOT
200 mg
250 mg 10 mL
= 8 mL

SECTION 3: Drug Strengths &

Stated Concentrations
What you HAVE (mg)
CONCENTRATION (mg/mL)
= How much fluid is required (Volume)

A patient is prescribed 250mg of Aciclovir I.V. Aciclovir has to be

initially reconstituted with water for injection, then added to a bag
of compatible infusion fluid, giving a final concentration of
5mg/mL. How much infusion fluid should be used dilute the
reconstituted Aciclovir to achieve this final concentration?
Time

Aciclovir

0700-0900
1200-1400

Dose
250mg

Route

Start Date

IV

18.05.07

End
Date

1600-1800
2200-2400
Other Time

What we

HAVE

Signature
of Doctor
Additional
Comments

P.Rescriber

Final
Concentration
5mg/mL

CONCENTRATION

Answer
What you HAVE (mg)
CONCENTRATION (mg/mL)
250mg
5mg/mL
= 50 mL

A 1% (w/v) solution means that in every 100mL of solution

you will find 1g of drug. Therefore, how many g of Glucose
would there be in 500mL of 5% Glucose?

Glucose 5%
500ml

Answer
A 1% (w/v) solution means that in every
100mL of solution you will find 1g of drug.
100mL = 1g
Therefore a 5% w/v must mean that
100mL = 5g
Multiply each side by 5
500mL = 25g

1:10,000 strength means that in every 10,000ml of

solution you will find 1g of Adrenaline. Therefore, how
many mg of Adrenaline would there be in 10mL of
1:10,000 Adrenaline?

Answer
1:10,000 means that 1g of adrenaline is
dissolved in 10,000mL.
1g = 10,000mL
1000mg = 10,000mL
Divide both sides by 1000
1mg = 10mL

SECTION 4: Duration of Infusion

Stated rate (dose per min)
Infusion rate (mL/hr)
Stated Rate dose per min
Dose (mg)
= Time
Rate (mg/min)

Furosemide must be administered at a rate no faster

than 4mg/minute. How many minutes would it take to
give 200mg of this drug?
Time
Furosemide
0700-0900

DOSE
(mg)

1200-1400

Dose

Route

Start Date

200mg

IV

18.05.07

End
Date

1600-1800
2200-2400
Other Time

Signature of
Doctor

P.Rescriber

Additional
Comments

Rate of
4mg/minute

Furosemide
250mg/10mL

Rate
(mg/min)

Answer
Dose (mg)
= Time
Rate (mg/min)
200mg
4mg/min
= 50 minutes

Infusion rate mL/hr

Volume (mL) = Rate (mL/min)
Time (Min)
X 60 = Rate (mL/Hr)
* Tip if rate is in hours omit X 60

Omeprazole (Losec ) 40mg is diluted in 100mL of

compatible infusion fluid. This infusion has to be given over
20 minutes. What rate should you set the infusion pump at,
in ml/hr, to deliver this dose?

Omeprazole
40mg/100mL

Answer
Volume (mL) = Time (mL/hr) x 60
Rate (hr)
100ml
20 mins x 60
= 300mL/hr

Acetylcysteine (Parvolex ) 7.5g is diluted in 1000mL of

compatible infusion fluid. This infusion has to be given over
16 hours. What rate should you set the infusion pump at, in
ml/hr, to deliver this dose?

Acetylcysteine
7.5g/1000mL

Answer
Dose (mL) = Time (mL/hr)
Rate (hr)
1000
16
= 62.5 mL/hr

SECTION 5: Infusion Rate

Calculations
What you WANT x 60 (60 mins per hr)
What you have GOT
X what it is IN
= the volume you want to administer

You are required to give a patient Glyceryl Trinitrate as a

continuous I.V infusion at 25 micrograms/minute. You have
prepared a 50mg in 50mL infusion. What rate should you set the
infusion pump at, in ml/hr, to deliver this dose?
What we
Time

Glyceryl Trinitrate

07000900

What we

WANT

12001400

Dose

Route

25 micrograms/ IV
minute

60 mins
per hr

Start Date

18.05.07

End
Date

have

GOT
Glyceryl Trinitrate
50mg/50mL

16001800
22002400
Other
Time

Signature of Doctor

P.Rescriber

Additional
Comments

Continuous
Infusion

What
its IN

Answer
What you WANT x 60 (60 mins per hr)
What you have GOT
X what it is IN
25 micrograms x 60 = 1500 micrograms/hr
1500 1000
= 1.5 mg
1.5 mg x 50mL
50 mg
= 1.5 mL/hr

Any Questions?
Assessment time