Emergency Medicine

36 Critical Care Emergencies

Drug

Loading dose

Paediatric infusion

Dilution

Adult dose (70–80 kg)

range (< 30 kg)

Infusion pu

m

p (IP)

Syringe driver

Concentration

Dose per hour

Volu

me per hour

Glyceryl

—

1–10 μg/kg/min

200 mg in

—

400 μg/mL

0.4–8 mg/h

1–20 mL/h

trinitrate (GTN)

500 mL DW.

bStandard

Use glass bottle/low-absorption set

aTransport

—

1–10 μg/kg/min

50 mg in

25 mg in

500 μg/mL

0.5–10 mg/h

1–20 mL/h

100 mL DW

50 mL DW

Insulin

2–20 units

0.03–0.3 units/kg/h

100 units in

50 units in

1 unit/mL

2–20 units/h

2–20 mL/h

(short-acting)

100 mL NS

50 mL NS

IsoprenalineLow dose

50–100 μg increments

0.5–7.5 μg/min

1 mg in

0.5 mg in

10 μg/mL

0.5–7.5 μg/min

2–30 mL/h

100 mL DS

50 mL DS

High dose

—

0.05–1.0 μg/kg/min

6 mg in

3 mg in

60 μg/mL

2–20 μg/min

2–20 mL/h

100 mL DS

50 mL DS

Ketamine

IV: 1–2 mg/kg

5–20 μg/kg/min

1000 mg in

500 mg in

10 mg/mL

0.3–1.2 mg/kg/h

2–10 mL/h

IM: 5–10 mg/kg

100 mL DS

50 mL DS

Lignocaine (lidocaine)bStandard

1–2 mg/kg

15–50 μg/kg/min

Pre-mixed:

Pre-mixed:

4 mg/mL

***8 mg/min

***120 mL/h

2 g in 500 mL DW

2 g in

***4 mg/min

***

for 20 min

500 mL DW

***2 mg/min

***60 mL/h for ***

60 min

***30 mL/h for ***

24 h

aTransport

1–2 mg/kg

15–50 μg/kg/min

2 g in 100 mL DW

1 g in

20 mg/mL

***8 mg/min

***24 mL/h