Nicardipine Concentration Calculation
At 100 cc/hr, you are administering 10 mg/hr of nicardipine, assuming the standard concentration of 0.1 mg/mL (10 mg in 100 mL).
Standard Nicardipine Concentration and Calculation
Nicardipine is typically prepared as 0.1 mg/mL concentration (10 mg diluted in 100 mL of compatible IV solution), which is the most common premixed formulation used in clinical practice 1, 2.
At 100 cc/hr (100 mL/hr) with standard 0.1 mg/mL concentration:
- 100 mL/hr × 0.1 mg/mL = 10 mg/hr
Clinical Context for This Dose
This 10 mg/hr dose is within the therapeutic range recommended by the American Heart Association for hypertensive emergencies, which specifies a dosing range of 5-15 mg/hr 3, 1.
For post-craniotomy patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, this represents a moderate-to-high maintenance dose that should provide effective blood pressure control 1, 2.
The American Heart Association recommends starting nicardipine at 5 mg/hr and titrating by 2.5 mg/hr every 5-15 minutes to a maximum of 15 mg/hr until desired blood pressure is achieved 3, 1, 2.
Critical Monitoring Requirements
Blood pressure should be monitored every 15 minutes during active titration and for the first 2 hours after reaching target dose 1, 2.
For post-thrombolytic stroke patients specifically, the American Heart Association recommends checking blood pressure every 15 minutes for 2 hours, then every 30 minutes for 6 hours, then hourly for 16 hours 1, 2.
In subarachnoid hemorrhage patients, research demonstrates that nicardipine at approximately 10 mg/hr effectively prevents vasospasm while maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion 4, 5.
Important Caveats
Always verify the actual concentration of your institution's nicardipine preparation, as concentrations can vary (some institutions use 0.2 mg/mL or other concentrations).
If using a different concentration, recalculate: mg/hr = infusion rate (mL/hr) × concentration (mg/mL).
The maximum recommended dose is 15 mg/hr regardless of clinical scenario, as this is the absolute ceiling supported by all major guidelines 1, 2.