Pharmacology Conversion Factor Problems Answer Key (CHEM 1405)

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1) The patient weighs 73 kg. The MD orders dopamine at 3.0 $LaTeX: \mu$ $\mu$ g/kg/min. The dopamine is mixed as 400.0 mg in 250 mL of solution. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?

$LaTeX: 73kg\times(\frac{3.0\mu g}{1kg\cdot\min})\times(\frac{0.000001g}{1\mu g})\times(\frac{1mg}{0.001g})\times(\frac{250mL}{400.0mg})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=8.2mL/hr$ $73kg\times(\frac{3.0\mu g}{1kg\cdot\min})\times(\frac{0.000001g}{1\mu g})\times(\frac{1mg}{0.001g})\times(\frac{250mL}{400.0mg})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=8.2mL/hr$

2) The patient is receiving nitroprusside at 23 mL/hr. The bag has 50.0 mg of nitroprusside in 250 mL of solution. The patient weighs 67 kg. What dosage of nitroprusside in $LaTeX: \mu$ $\mu$ g/kg/min is the patient receiving?

$LaTeX: \frac{23mL}{1hr}\times(\frac{50.0mg}{250mL})\times(\frac{0.001g}{1mg})\times(\frac{1\mu g}{0.000001g})\times(\frac{1hr}{60\min})=77\mu g/\min\div67kg=1.1\frac{\mu g}{kg\cdot\min}$ $\frac{23mL}{1hr}\times(\frac{50.0mg}{250mL})\times(\frac{0.001g}{1mg})\times(\frac{1\mu g}{0.000001g})\times(\frac{1hr}{60\min})=77\mu g/\min\div67kg=1.1\frac{\mu g}{kg\cdot\min}$

3) Your patient receives an order for procainamide at 3.0 mg/min. She weighs 58 kg. The pharmacy has mixed 2.0 g of procainamide in 500.0 mL of solution. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?

$LaTeX: \frac{3.0mg}{1\min}\times(\frac{0.001g}{1mg})\times(\frac{500.0mL}{2.0g})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=45mL/hr$ $\frac{3.0mg}{1\min}\times(\frac{0.001g}{1mg})\times(\frac{500.0mL}{2.0g})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=45mL/hr$

4) The patient weighs 117 pounds. Dopamine is running at 30.0 mL/hr. There is 400.0 mg of dopamine in 500.0 mL of solution. How much dopamine is the patient receiving in $LaTeX: \mu$ $\mu$ g/kg/min?

$LaTeX: \frac{30.0mL}{1hr}\times(\frac{400.mg}{500.mL})\times(\frac{0.001g}{1mg})\times(\frac{1\mu g}{0.000001g})\times(\frac{1hr}{60\min})=400.\mu g/\min$ $\frac{30.0mL}{1hr}\times(\frac{400.mg}{500.mL})\times(\frac{0.001g}{1mg})\times(\frac{1\mu g}{0.000001g})\times(\frac{1hr}{60\min})=400.\mu g/\min$

$LaTeX: 117lbs\times(\frac{1kg}{2.205lbs})=53.1\operatorname{kg}$ $117lbs\times(\frac{1kg}{2.205lbs})=53.1\operatorname{kg}$

$LaTeX: \frac{400.\mu g/\min}{53.1kg}=7.54\frac{\mu g}{kg\cdot\min}$ $\frac{400.\mu g/\min}{53.1kg}=7.54\frac{\mu g}{kg\cdot\min}$

5) You need to start a continuous drip of amiodarone at 1.0 mg per minute (by pump). The standard IV mixture is 450 mg in 250 mL. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?

$LaTeX: \frac{1.0mg}{1\min}\times(\frac{250mL}{450mg})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=33mL/hr$ $\frac{1.0mg}{1\min}\times(\frac{250mL}{450mg})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=33mL/hr$

6) Milrinone Lactate (Primacor) has been ordered for a patient at 0.40 $LaTeX: \mu$ $\mu$ g/kg/min. The patient weighs 101 kg. If the pharmacy mixes 20.0 mg of Milrinone in 100. mL of total solution, what would be the rate of the infusion in mL/hr?

$LaTeX: 101kg\times(\frac{0.40\mu g}{1kg\cdot\min})\times(\frac{0.000001g}{1\mu g})\times(\frac{1mg}{0.001g})\times(\frac{100.mL}{20.0mg})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=12mL/hr$ $101kg\times(\frac{0.40\mu g}{1kg\cdot\min})\times(\frac{0.000001g}{1\mu g})\times(\frac{1mg}{0.001g})\times(\frac{100.mL}{20.0mg})\times(\frac{60\min}{1hr})=12mL/hr$

7) A patient has a confirmed pulmonary embolus and the physician has ordered a heparin drip. The initial rate is ordered at 1000 units per hour. Premixed heparin infusions are 25,000 units of heparin in 250 mL of solution. What is the rate of the infusion in mL/hr?

$LaTeX: \frac{1000units}{1hr}\times(\frac{250mL}{25,000units})=10mL/hr$ $\frac{1000units}{1hr}\times(\frac{250mL}{25,000units})=10mL/hr$

8) An IV solution containing 2.0 grams of Lidocaine in 500.0 mL of solution is infusing at 15 mL per hour. What should the ordered dose be in milligrams per minute?

$LaTeX: \frac{15mL}{1hr}\times(\frac{2.0g}{500.0mL})\times(\frac{1mg}{0.001g})\times(\frac{1hr}{60\min})=1.0mg/\min$ $\frac{15mL}{1hr}\times(\frac{2.0g}{500.0mL})\times(\frac{1mg}{0.001g})\times(\frac{1hr}{60\min})=1.0mg/\min$