Making a Dextrose Solution
Posted: Tuesday, January 21st, 2020 | Updated: Monday, February 7th, 2022
Posted: Tuesday, January 21st, 2020 | Updated: Monday, February 7th, 2022
SCENARIO
Dr. Smith requests you to make a 2.5% Dextrose solution in a 500 ml bag of LRS. You will be using Dextrose 50%. Prepare the solution using the formula V1C1 = V2C2
V1 = Volume 1 = The volume of the undiluted medication or fluid = Unknown (x)
C1 = Concentration 1 = The concentration of what you’d like to dilute = Dextrose 50%
V2 = Volume 2 = The total volume of fluid you’d like to end up with = 500 ml
C2 = Concentration 2 = The concentration of the fluid you’d like to end up with = Dextrose 2.5%
Using algebra, plug in your known values and solve the equation for x:
1. V1C1 = V2C2
2. (x)(50%) = (500 ml)(2.5%)
3. ((x)(50%)) / (50%)) = ((500 ml)(2.5%) / (50%))
4. x = 25 ml
Remember, you want a total volume of 500 ml in the end. You must remove 25 ml of fluid from the bag of LRS before you add the 25 ml of Dextrose 50% to the bag
You can also solve the problem if you knew the mg/ml concentration of Dextrose:
1. V1C1 = V2C2
2. (x)(500 mg/ml) = (500 ml)(25 mg/ml)
3. ((x)(500 mg/ml)) / (500 mg/ml)) = ((500 ml)(25 mg/ml) / (500 mg/ml))
4. x = 25 ml
The volumes must always be in the same format and the concentrations must always be in the same format in order to cancel each other out in the equation. It doesn’t matter if you’re working with mcg/ml, units/ml, mg/ml, or percentages; all of the values need to cancel out, so they must be in the same format
Dr. Smith requests you to make a 2.5% Dextrose solution in a 500 ml bag of LRS. You will be using Dextrose 50%. Prepare the solution using the formula V1C1 = V2C2
V1 = Volume 1 = The volume of the undiluted medication or fluid = Unknown (x)
C1 = Concentration 1 = The concentration of what you’d like to dilute = Dextrose 50%
V2 = Volume 2 = The total volume of fluid you’d like to end up with = 500 ml
C2 = Concentration 2 = The concentration of the fluid you’d like to end up with = Dextrose 2.5%
Using algebra, plug in your known values and solve the equation for x:
1. V1C1 = V2C2
2. (x)(50%) = (500 ml)(2.5%)
3. ((x)(50%)) / (50%)) = ((500 ml)(2.5%) / (50%))
4. x = 25 ml
Remember, you want a total volume of 500 ml in the end. You must remove 25 ml of fluid from the bag of LRS before you add the 25 ml of Dextrose 50% to the bag
You can also solve the problem if you knew the mg/ml concentration of Dextrose:
1. V1C1 = V2C2
2. (x)(500 mg/ml) = (500 ml)(25 mg/ml)
3. ((x)(500 mg/ml)) / (500 mg/ml)) = ((500 ml)(25 mg/ml) / (500 mg/ml))
4. x = 25 ml
The volumes must always be in the same format and the concentrations must always be in the same format in order to cancel each other out in the equation. It doesn’t matter if you’re working with mcg/ml, units/ml, mg/ml, or percentages; all of the values need to cancel out, so they must be in the same format