Problem
Nitroprusside (Nipride) IV is prescribed for a child with severe hypertension. The prescription is to start the infusion at 0.1 mcg/kg/min and titrate up every 5 minutes to a maximum dose of 5 mcg/kg/min. Your client weighs 35 kilograms (kg) . Nipride comes in 50 mg in a 250 mL D5W infusion. How many milliliters per hour (mL/hour) should be infusing at the start?
i. What is the maximum rate in milliliters per hour (mL/hr)?
ii. What are the micrograms per minute (mcg/min) infusion at the maximum dosage?