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Could any one solve this about IV flow rates?

Could you help me with this one please, I don't know where to even start!

A patient weighing 80 kg is prescribed amiodarone5mg/kg to be administered over 120 minutes. Choose the most suitablepreparation and flow rate for this prescription from the options below:

A 10mL of amiodarone injection (30mg/mL) added to 500mL glucose 5% and administeredat a flow rate of 170 mL per hour
B 6mL of amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 500 mL sodium chloride 0.9% andadministered at a flow rate of 253 mL per hour
C8mL of amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 250 mL sodium chloride 0.9% andadministered at a flow rate of 129 mL per hour
D 8mLof amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 250mL glucose 5% and administered ata flow rate of 129 mL per hour
E 8mLof amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 500 mL glucose 5% and administeredat a flow rate of 254 mL per hour
Reply 1
Original post by icantdothemaths
Could you help me with this one please, I don't know where to even start!

A patient weighing 80 kg is prescribed amiodarone5mg/kg to be administered over 120 minutes. Choose the most suitablepreparation and flow rate for this prescription from the options below:

A 10mL of amiodarone injection (30mg/mL) added to 500mL glucose 5% and administeredat a flow rate of 170 mL per hour
B 6mL of amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 500 mL sodium chloride 0.9% andadministered at a flow rate of 253 mL per hour
C8mL of amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 250 mL sodium chloride 0.9% andadministered at a flow rate of 129 mL per hour
D 8mLof amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 250mL glucose 5% and administered ata flow rate of 129 mL per hour
E 8mLof amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 500 mL glucose 5% and administeredat a flow rate of 254 mL per hour


First thing to do would be to calculate the total dose over 120mins:
(dose rate*body mass)
80*5=400mg
Next calculate the volume of drug using the given concentration:
(dose/concentration)
400/30=13.333333

So you know you need about 13ml of drug over 2h
Now look at the flow rates, all of them except A deliver the full volume of drug in 2hours (A delivers it in 3hours)
Next look at the the other things, B and C use isotonic saline, A, D and E use 5% glucose so you need to decide which is most appropriate (I don't know much about this drug and how it should be administered).
Lastly look at the volume delivered, I'm guessing from the weight we are talking about a human so I can't really help much with this part (vet student) but there may be a max volume/flow rate that you can give a reasonably well hydrated person to avoid pulmonary oedema (I know cats get this easily if one is too heavy handed with the drip)

I hope that is of some help :smile:
Original post by Tenrec
First thing to do would be to calculate the total dose over 120mins:
(dose rate*body mass)
80*5=400mg
Next calculate the volume of drug using the given concentration:
(dose/concentration)
400/30=13.333333

So you know you need about 13ml of drug over 2h
Now look at the flow rates, all of them except A deliver the full volume of drug in 2hours (A delivers it in 3hours)
Next look at the the other things, B and C use isotonic saline, A, D and E use 5% glucose so you need to decide which is most appropriate (I don't know much about this drug and how it should be administered).
Lastly look at the volume delivered, I'm guessing from the weight we are talking about a human so I can't really help much with this part (vet student) but there may be a max volume/flow rate that you can give a reasonably well hydrated person to avoid pulmonary oedema (I know cats get this easily if one is too heavy handed with the drip)

I hope that is of some help :smile:


I think I figured it out:

As 80kg X 5= 400mg= 400mg/120 minutesTarget rate = 200mg/hr A: (10mlX30mg)/500= 0.6g/ml X170ml/hr= 102mg/hrB: Amiodarone sterile conc.=50mg/ml. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/26034 6X50mg= 300mg/500=0.6mg/ml X253ml= 151.8mg/hrC: 8X50= 400mg/250ml= 1.6mg/mlX 129=206.4mg/hrD: 8X50= 400mg/250ml= 1.6mg/mlX 129=206.4mg/hrE: 8X50= 400mg/500ml= 0/8mg/mlX 254= 203.2mg/hr
So E is closest to 200mg/hr?

Does that sound correct?
Original post by Tenrec
First thing to do would be to calculate the total dose over 120mins:
(dose rate*body mass)
80*5=400mg
Next calculate the volume of drug using the given concentration:
(dose/concentration)
400/30=13.333333

So you know you need about 13ml of drug over 2h
Now look at the flow rates, all of them except A deliver the full volume of drug in 2hours (A delivers it in 3hours)
Next look at the the other things, B and C use isotonic saline, A, D and E use 5% glucose so you need to decide which is most appropriate (I don't know much about this drug and how it should be administered).
Lastly look at the volume delivered, I'm guessing from the weight we are talking about a human so I can't really help much with this part (vet student) but there may be a max volume/flow rate that you can give a reasonably well hydrated person to avoid pulmonary oedema (I know cats get this easily if one is too heavy handed with the drip)

I hope that is of some help :smile:


Also it is compatible with 5% glucose
Reply 4
Original post by icantdothemaths
I think I figured it out:

As 80kg X 5= 400mg= 400mg/120 minutesTarget rate = 200mg/hr A: (10mlX30mg)/500= 0.6g/ml X170ml/hr= 102mg/hrB: Amiodarone sterile conc.=50mg/ml. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/26034 6X50mg= 300mg/500=0.6mg/ml X253ml= 151.8mg/hrC: 8X50= 400mg/250ml= 1.6mg/mlX 129=206.4mg/hrD: 8X50= 400mg/250ml= 1.6mg/mlX 129=206.4mg/hrE: 8X50= 400mg/500ml= 0/8mg/mlX 254= 203.2mg/hr
So E is closest to 200mg/hr?

Does that sound correct?


Yes I think so :smile:
Original post by icantdothemaths
Could you help me with this one please, I don't know where to even start!

A patient weighing 80 kg is prescribed amiodarone5mg/kg to be administered over 120 minutes. Choose the most suitablepreparation and flow rate for this prescription from the options below:

A 10mL of amiodarone injection (30mg/mL) added to 500mL glucose 5% and administeredat a flow rate of 170 mL per hour
B 6mL of amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 500 mL sodium chloride 0.9% andadministered at a flow rate of 253 mL per hour
C8mL of amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 250 mL sodium chloride 0.9% andadministered at a flow rate of 129 mL per hour
D 8mLof amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 250mL glucose 5% and administered ata flow rate of 129 mL per hour
E 8mLof amiodarone sterile concentrate added to 500 mL glucose 5% and administeredat a flow rate of 254 mL per hour


Is this a pre-reg level question? You should be able to find drug compatibility with fluids in the BNF :smile:

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