IV Pumpkin Juice at 50mg/kg/hr continuous. Weight 141.6 lbs. What is the rate the pumpkin juice will be administered?
The correct answer and explanation is:
To calculate the rate at which pumpkin juice will be administered, we need to first convert the patient’s weight from pounds to kilograms, since the dosage is prescribed in mg/kg/hr.
Step 1: Convert weight from pounds to kilograms
The conversion factor is: 1 lb=0.453592 kg1 \, \text{lb} = 0.453592 \, \text{kg}
So, for a weight of 141.6 lbs: 141.6 lbs×0.453592=64.3 kg141.6 \, \text{lbs} \times 0.453592 = 64.3 \, \text{kg}
Step 2: Calculate the amount of pumpkin juice required per hour
The dose is 50 mg of pumpkin juice per kg of body weight per hour. So, for a weight of 64.3 kg, the total amount of pumpkin juice needed per hour is: 50 mg/kg/hr×64.3 kg=3215 mg/hr50 \, \text{mg/kg/hr} \times 64.3 \, \text{kg} = 3215 \, \text{mg/hr}
Step 3: Convert mg/hr to mL/hr (assuming the concentration of pumpkin juice is 1 mg/mL)
If the concentration of the pumpkin juice is 1 mg/mL, the rate of administration in mL per hour will be equal to the amount in mg per hour. Therefore: Rate=3215 mL/hr\text{Rate} = 3215 \, \text{mL/hr}
Conclusion
The pumpkin juice should be administered at a continuous rate of 3215 mL/hr, assuming the concentration is 1 mg/mL. If the concentration is different, the rate of administration will need to be adjusted accordingly.
This approach provides a clear calculation path: converting weight to kilograms, determining the required dose, and applying the proper concentration to find the rate of infusion.