D10 at 75 mL/hr Delivers 180 Grams of Carbohydrates in 24 Hours
D10 (10% dextrose) contains 10 grams of dextrose per 100 mL, so at 75 mL/hr for 24 hours, you deliver 180 grams of carbohydrates total. 1, 2
Calculation Breakdown
- D10 concentration: 10 grams of dextrose per 100 mL 2
- Hourly delivery at 75 mL/hr: 7.5 grams per hour (75 mL × 0.1 g/mL) 1
- 24-hour total: 180 grams (7.5 g/hr × 24 hours) 1, 2
Clinical Context for This Rate
- The standard D10 infusion rate recommended by the American College of Clinical Endocrinology is 50 mL/hour (5 grams/hour) when tube feeding is interrupted in diabetic patients receiving insulin coverage 1
- Your rate of 75 mL/hr delivers 7.5 grams/hour, which is 50% higher than the standard prevention rate 1
- This 180 grams over 24 hours provides approximately 720 kcal of energy (dextrose provides 4 kcal/gram), representing partial nutritional support but insufficient as sole nutrition 2
Important Monitoring Considerations
- Blood glucose should be monitored every 1-2 hours during continuous dextrose administration 1
- This rate is appropriate for preventing hypoglycemia in patients receiving basal insulin when enteral nutrition is interrupted, particularly critical for type 1 diabetics 1
- The American Diabetes Association emphasizes that type 1 diabetic patients require continuous basal insulin even when not receiving nutrition, making continuous D10 infusion essential to prevent hypoglycemia 1
Common Pitfall to Avoid
- Never stop basal insulin in type 1 diabetics even when nutrition is interrupted—this is when D10 infusion becomes critical 1