What is the carbohydrate intake from Dextrose 10% (D10) at 150 milliliters per hour?

Carbohydrate Content Calculation for D10 at 150 mL/hr

D10 (Dextrose 10%) infused at 150 mL/hr delivers 15 grams of carbohydrates per hour.

Calculation Method

• D10 contains 10 grams of dextrose per 100 mL of solution 1
• At an infusion rate of 150 mL/hr: (10 g/100 mL) × 150 mL = 15 grams of dextrose per hour 1
• This translates to 360 grams of carbohydrates over 24 hours if the infusion continues at this rate 1

Clinical Context for This Infusion Rate

• The standard recommended rate for continuous D10 infusion in diabetic patients receiving insulin coverage when enteral nutrition is interrupted is 50 mL/hour, which delivers 5 grams of dextrose per hour 1
• Your rate of 150 mL/hr (15 g/hr) is three times the standard maintenance rate and represents a significantly higher carbohydrate load 1

Important Clinical Considerations

• This higher infusion rate (150 mL/hr) may be appropriate in specific clinical scenarios such as:

  • Treatment of persistent hypoglycemia requiring more aggressive glucose replacement 2
  • Patients with higher metabolic demands or glucose utilization rates 1
  • Prevention of starvation ketosis in high-risk patients 3

• Blood glucose monitoring should occur every 1-2 hours when administering continuous dextrose infusions, particularly at rates above standard maintenance 1, 2

• At 150 mL/hr, patients will receive approximately 3.6 liters of fluid over 24 hours, which requires consideration of volume status and cardiac function 1

Comparison to Other Dextrose Concentrations

• D5 (5% dextrose) at 150 mL/hr would deliver 7.5 grams/hour 3
• D50 (50% dextrose) contains 25 grams per 50 mL ampule, typically given as bolus rather than continuous infusion 2, 4