UCH Critical Care Vasoactives Reference Card—Updated 1/2013 by UCH Critical Care Committee
DRUG
DOSAGE RANGE
COMMENTS
*Recommend central line for all vasoactives in ICU
Vasoactive Drips
Dobutamine
2.5-20mcg/kg/min
Dopamine
2-20mcg/kg/min
Central line only
Epinephrine
0.01- 3mcg/kg/min
Central line only
Milrinone (Primacor)
0.125-1 mcg/kg/min
Max dose 1.5 mcg/kg/min
Nicardipine
2.5-15 mg/hr
Max dose 15 mg/hr. Protect from light
Nitroglycerin
0.01-5mcg/kg/min
5-300mcg/min
Nitroprusside (Nipride)
0.1-10mcg/kg/min
Protect from light. Monitor thiocyanate levels
Norepinephrine
0.05-3mcg/kg/min
Central line only
(Levophed)
Octreotide
25-100mcg/hr
Bolus 50mcg
Phenylephrine
0.2-5mcg/kg/min
(Neosynephrine)
BP/Shock=0.01-0.04units/min
Vasopressin
Monitor serum lactate with doses >0.04
GI Bleed=0.2–0.4units/min
units/min
HRS=0.04-0.8 units/min
Cardiovascular Agents
Amiodarone
0.5-1mg/min
Load 150mg over 10mins; then gtt; 1mg/min for
next 6 hrs then 0.5; mg/min for next 18 hour;
may reload with 150 mg over 10 minutes PRN to
maximum 24 hour dose of 2.2 Grams
Diltiazem (Cardizem)
2.5-20mg/hr
Esmolol (Brevibloc)
Isoproterenol (Isuprel)
50-300mcg/kg/min
0.01-0.3mcg/kg/min
2-20mcg/min
1-4mg/min
1-6mg/min
Load 0.25mg/kg over 2 mins; (may rebolus
0.35mg/kg)
Load 500mcg/kg over 1 min
Lidocaine
Procainamide
Updated January 2013; UCH Critical Care Committee
Load 1mg/kg over 2-3mins
Bolus of 17mg/kg over 30 min; Max bolus
dose 50mg/min
Monitor napa & procainamide levels
UCH ICU Vasoactives & Misc Agents Dosage-- Updated 1/2013 by UCH Critical Care Committee
Cardiovascular Agents
Standard MIX
DOSE RANGE
COMMENTS
Labetolol
0.5 – 2mg/min
Loading dose 25-200mg/IV over 2 minutes;
may repeat Q6 hours; titrate slowly
Metoprolol
5mg IVP over 1 min
May repeat every 5 minutes to a total of 15 mg
Adenosine
PIV: 6 mg IVP
May repeat: 12 mg IVP
(mama May repeat x 2 post 1-2 minutes of initial dose
Central: 3 mg IVP May repeat: 6 mg IVP
May repeat x 2 post 1-2 minutes of initial dose
Atropine
0.5mg -1.0mg IVP
May repeat every 3-5 min (max of 0.04mg/kg)
Miscellaneous Agents
Standard MIX
DOSE RANGE
COMMENTS
Calcium Chloride
1G/10mL (1amp)
push slowly over 3-5 minutes via a central line
Calcium Gluconate
1G/10mL (1amp)
non-emergent: 1 Gram/50mL over 60 minutes
Heparin
DVT/PE: 80 units/kg IV bolus then 18 units/kg/hr infusion
ACS: 60 units/kg IV bolus (max 5,000 units) then 12 units/kg/hr infusion
(max 1000 units/hour)
Dalteparin
Wt < 95 kg: 200 units/kg Subcutaneously Q 24 hour
Wt > 95 kg: 100 units/kg Subcutaneously Q 12 hours
Narcan
0.4 mg IVP every 2-3 min *dilute in 10mL NS; may give up to 2 mg
DRIP CALCULATIONS (C.F. = calibration factor); Weight utilized is admission weight
Clinical examples
mcg/kg/min;
Weight based Dopamine 800 mg/250mL; Ordered 10 mcg/kg/min
C.F.= 800 mg in bag x 1000mcg ÷ 60 min ÷ kg = 0.762
Admission wt = 70kg
250 mL in bag
mL/hr = dose ordered mcg/kg/min
C.F.
Dose = mL/hr Χ C.F.
mcg/min
C.F. = mg in bag X 1000mcg ÷ 60 min = 3.33
vol in bag
mL/hr = ordered dose mcg/min
C.F.
Dose = mL/hr Χ C.F.
Updated January 2013; UCH Critical Care Committee
10 mcg/kg/min = 13 mL/hr
0.762
10 mcg/kg/min = 13 mL/hr Χ 0.762
Non-weight based NTG 50mg/250mL; Ordered 20 mcg/min
20 mcg/min = 6mL/hr
3.33
20 mcg/min = 6mL/hr Χ 3.33