Calculating Dopamine Drip Rate

Do you know how to calculate the dopamine drip rate, the fast way? It's actually quit simple. We will break down step by step, and even give an example of how to calculate it.

Step 1: Take the patient's weight in pounds, and drop the last digit
Step 2: Subtract 2 from the remaining number
    Your final number, is the dosing for 5mcg dose for that patient in gtts/min of mL/hr

Let's do a few examples:

Example 1: Patient Weight = 210
          210 ---> 210 ---> 21-2=19 ------> 19gtts/min for 5mcg dopamine dose

Example 2: Patient Weight = 128 pounds
          128 ---> 128 ---> 12-2=10 ------> 10gtts/min for 5mcg dopamine dose

Example 3: Patient Weights = 62 kilograms
         62 x 2 = 124 ----> 124 + 12 = 136 --------> 136 pounds
                                                   (take 10%)
             136 ---> 136 ---> 13-2 = 11 -------> 11gtts/min for 5mcg dopamine dose

Now let's say that you want to give the dose as 10mcg. All you do, is figure out the dose for 5mcg, than double it.

Example: Patient Weight 100 pounds
         100 ---> 100 ---> 10-2 = 8 --------> 8gtts/min for 5 mcg dopamine dose
                  8 + 8  = 16 ------> 16gtts/min for 10mcg dopamine dose



Let's figure out the dose for dopamine, and the drip rate for dopamine for a patient.
      Patient Weight: 150 pounds (68 kg)
      Dopamine Supplied: 2-20 mcg/kg/min
      Drip Rate: 10mcg

               1) 10mcg/kg/min x 68 kg = 680mcg
               2) 150 ---> 150 ---> 15-2=13 --------> 13gtss/min of 5mcg dopamine dose
               3) 13gtts/min x 2 (double) = 26 -------> 26gtts/min dopamine dose
     
           You would give you patient 680mcg of dopamine, with a drip rate of 26gtts/min.