Continuous Medication Infusions

Author: Michelle Lin, MD
Updated: 3/9/2012

Continuous Medication Infusions: Dosing Recommendations

Usual dose range for adults

Medication Dose Units (comments)
Amiodarone 0.5-1 mg/min (loading dose: 150 mg over 10 min)
Diltiazem 5-15 mg/hr, or indication dependent dose
Dobutamine 0.5-20 mcg/kg/min
Dopamine 0.5-20 mcg/kg/min
Epinephrine 0.05-0.5 mcg/kg/min
Esmolol 50-300 mcg/kg/min
Fentanyl 25-200 mcg/hr, or higher if tolerance
Furosemide 1-10 mg/hr
Isoproterenol 1-10 mcg/min
Ketamine 2-10 mcg/kg/min
Lidocaine 1-4 mg/min
Lorazepam 0.5-4 mg/hr, or higher if tolerance
Midazolam 0.5-2 mg/hr or higher if tolerance
Naloxone 0.25-6 mg/hr
Nicardipine 5-15 mg/hr
Nitroglycerin 10-300 mcg/min
Nitroprusside 1-10 mcg/kg/min
Norepinephrine 0.5-20 mcg/min
Octreotide 25-100 mcg/hr
Phenylephrine 10-200 mcg/min or higher if indicated
Propofol 0-100 mcg/kg/min
Vasopressin 0.02-0.04 units/min, or higher if indicated (max 0.2 units/min)
Vecuronium 1-5 mg/hr or higher if indicated

References

  • Based on 2012 card on Continuous Infusions from the UCSF Critical Care Units as part of a campaign for Safe Medication Prescriptions