Question

The usual adult dose of heparin given for pulmonary embolism is a one time dose of 5000 units IV followed by continuous IV infusion of 18 units/kg/hour.

You have a stock solution of 10,000 units/10 mL.

A.) how much of the stock solution would you need to administer initially (for the one time dose)?

B.) what IV flow rate would you use to administer to a patient who is 100.0 kg in weight? (Steps one and two are given to help you find your solution)

B1.) For this patient, how many units per hour are needed?

B2.) Given your answer to B1, what flow rate in mL per hour is needed?

Answer 1

A). One time dose of heparin is 5000 units IV, and the stock solution is of 10000 units/10 ml

Therefore for 5000 units, we have to take 5 ml of the stock solution to administer initially as 5000 units are present in 5 ml of stock solution.

B1). As the patient weight is 100 kg, and the maintenance dose of the heparin given is 18 units/kg/hour, it means for 100 kg body weight, the dose will be 18 x 100 = 1800 units/hour for this patient is needed.

B2). Our stock solution contains 10000 units in 10 ml, it means 1000 units in one ml.

So for 1800 units per hour, we have to administer 1.8 ml/hr.

Because 1.8 ml of the stock solution will contain 1800 units of heparin. So the flow rate will be 1.8 ml/hr to get 18 units/kg/hr.