To calculate a heparin drip rate, given certain parameters, you can follow these steps based on the provided references. The example provided demonstrates how to find the flow rate (ml/hour) needed to deliver a specific dose of heparin.
The problem we are solving is: If you have a solution where 25,000 units of heparin are in 500 ml of solution, and you need to deliver 1500 units per hour, what is the drip rate in ml/hour?
Here's how to calculate that:
-
Set up the equation: We know that 25,000 units are contained within 500 ml of solution (Reference 2). We want to find out how many ml (X) contain 1500 units (Reference 1). This can be expressed as:
25,000 units / 500 ml = 1500 units / X ml
-
Cross-multiply: To solve for X, cross-multiply (References 4, 5, 6).
25,000 units * X ml/hr = 500 ml * 1500 units/hr
-
Simplify:
25,000X = 750,000
-
Solve for X: Divide both sides by 25,000 (Reference 6).
X = 750,000 / 25,000
-
Calculate:
X = 30 ml/hour (Reference 7)
Therefore, to deliver 1500 units of heparin per hour from a solution of 25,000 units in 500 ml, you would need a drip rate of 30 ml/hour.
