Epinephrine Infusion Calculation for 3 kg Infant
For a 3 kg infant receiving epinephrine at 0.1 µg/kg/min, the infusion rate is 0.3 µg/min (or 18 µg/hour).
Calculation Breakdown
Dose calculation: 0.1 µg/kg/min × 3 kg = 0.3 µg/min 1
Hourly rate: 0.3 µg/min × 60 min = 18 µg/hour 1
Standard Concentration and Volume Calculation
The standard epinephrine concentration for continuous infusion is typically 0.1 mg/mL (100 µg/mL) from the 1:10,000 solution 1
To deliver 0.3 µg/min: Using a 100 µg/mL concentration, the infusion rate would be 0.18 mL/hour (or 0.003 mL/min) 1
Alternative calculation using mg/hour: 0.018 mg/hour ÷ 0.1 mg/mL = 0.18 mL/hour 1
Clinical Context for This Dose
This dose (0.1 µg/kg/min) falls within the recommended range for continued shock after volume resuscitation, where the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting at 0.1–1.0 µg/kg/min, beginning at the lowest dose and titrating to desired clinical effect 1
Doses as high as 5 µg/kg/min are sometimes necessary for refractory shock, but always start low and titrate upward based on clinical response 1
Critical Safety Considerations
Extravasation risk: IV infiltration can result in severe skin injury; phentolamine (0.1–0.2 mg/kg up to 10 mg diluted in 10 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride) injected intradermally at the extravasation site may counteract dermal vasoconstriction 1
Dose-dependent effects: At this low dose (0.1 µg/kg/min), β-adrenergic effects typically predominate, providing inotropic support; α-adrenergic vasoconstriction becomes more prominent at higher doses 1
Monitoring requirements: Continuous cardiac monitoring is essential, as epinephrine may cause tachyarrhythmias, ectopic beats, and blood pressure fluctuations 1