Dextrose Calculation for D10 at 50ml/hr
D10 at 50ml/hr delivers 5 grams of dextrose per hour.
Calculation Method
- D10 means 10% dextrose solution, which contains 10 grams of dextrose per 100ml of solution 1
- At an infusion rate of 50ml/hr, the calculation is straightforward: (10g/100ml) × 50ml = 5 grams per hour 1
Clinical Context for D10 Administration
D10 is increasingly preferred over D50 for hypoglycemia treatment because it results in lower post-treatment glucose levels (6.2 mmol/L vs 9.4 mmol/L) and fewer adverse events, despite taking approximately 4 minutes longer to achieve symptom resolution 2, 3
When administered as 5g aliquots (50ml of D10), this concentration achieves 95.9% symptom resolution compared to 88.8% with D50, with no reported extravasation injuries 2, 3
The American Diabetes Association recommends 10% dextrose infusion to prevent hypoglycemia when enteral nutrition is interrupted in diabetic patients receiving insulin coverage, particularly critical for type 1 diabetic patients 4
Safety Considerations for Continuous Infusion
For peripheral vein administration, dextrose should be given slowly through a small-bore needle into a large vein to minimize venous irritation and thrombosis risk 4, 5
Blood glucose should be monitored every 1-2 hours during dextrose infusion, with more frequent monitoring (every 15 minutes) during initial titration 4
The maximum rate at which dextrose can be infused without producing glycosuria is 0.5 g/kg of body weight per hour, with approximately 95% retention when infused at 0.8 g/kg/hr 1