Question

Lidocaine (2 grams) was prescribed in 500 mL of fluid at 2 mg/ minute, to be administered via an infusion pump. What is the flow rate?

Answer 1

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Answer:

  1/2 mL/min

Step-by-step explanation:

  $\dfrac{2\text{ mg}}{\text{min}}\div\left(\dfrac{2\text{ g}}{500\text{ mL}}\times\dfrac{1000\text{ mg}}{\text{g}}\right)=\dfrac{2\times500\text{ mL}}{2\times1000\text{ min}}=\boxed{\dfrac{1}{2}\text{ mL/min}}$

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Additional comment

The units analysis tells you how to work this problem. In order to get from mg/min to mL/min, you need to multiply by a factor with units mL/mg. Those units are the inverse of the concentration in mg/mL, which is found from g/mL.