From the Guidelines
For a 7 kg boy with convulsions, the calculated dose of IV diazepam is 0.7 mg, which is 0.1 mg/kg. To calculate the dose in ml, given that 2 ml is 10 mg diazepam, we can use the following formula: (dose in mg / concentration in mg/ml) = dose in ml. The concentration of diazepam is 10 mg / 2 ml = 5 mg/ml. Therefore, the dose in ml is 0.7 mg / 5 mg/ml = 0.14 ml. However, considering the context of the question and the provided evidence, the dose of 0.1 mg/kg is lower than the recommended dose by 1. The recommended dose is 0.2 mg/kg, which would be 1.4 mg for a 7 kg boy. Using the same calculation as above, the dose in ml would be 1.4 mg / 5 mg/ml = 0.28 ml. Given that the dose should be administered slowly, the infusion rate should not exceed 1 ml/minute for a dose of 5 mg, so for 0.28 ml (1.4 mg), the infusion rate would be approximately 0.056 ml/minute, but to simplify, it could be rounded to an infusion rate of 0.06 ml/minute, however this is not practical in a real-life setting. A more practical approach would be to administer the dose over a period of 1-2 minutes, which would be approximately 0.14-0.28 ml/minute. It's essential to monitor the patient's response and adjust the dose and infusion rate accordingly, while also being mindful of potential side effects such as respiratory depression and hypotension, as mentioned in 1.
From the Research
Calculated Dose of IV Diazepam
- The dose of IV diazepam is 0.1 mg per kg for a 7 kg boy with convulsions.
- To calculate the dose: 0.1 mg/kg x 7 kg = 0.7 mg.
- Since 2 ml is 10 mg diazepam, the volume of 0.7 mg diazepam is: (0.7 mg / 10 mg) x 2 ml = 0.14 ml.
Infusion Rate per Minute
- The infusion rate is not directly provided in the given studies, but the dose is typically administered over a short period, such as 1-2 minutes 2.
- Assuming an infusion time of 1 minute, the infusion rate would be: 0.14 ml / 1 minute = 0.14 ml/minute.
- However, it's essential to note that the infusion rate may vary depending on the specific clinical guidelines and the patient's response to the treatment.
Relevant Studies
- A study on rectal diazepam for prehospital pediatric status epilepticus found that rectal diazepam is a simple, effective, and safe method of prehospital management of pediatric status epilepticus 2.
- Another study on emergency management of convulsions and prevention of status epilepticus with rectal diazepam administered by parents found that rectal diazepam can be used to alleviate convulsions at home or anywhere else 3.
- However, these studies do not provide direct information on the infusion rate of IV diazepam for a 7 kg boy with convulsions.