Pharmacology & Dosage
Basic

IV Drip Rate

Drops per minute to deliver a given volume over a set time via IV drip.

Formula

Rate=V×gttT\text{Rate} = \frac{V \times gtt}{T}

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Variables

VVolume to infuse (mL)
gttDrop factor (drops/mL)
TTime (minutes)

Example

1 000 mL over 8 hr (480 min), drop factor 20 → 42 gtt/min

Did You Know?

Standard tubing has a drop factor of 20 drops/mL, while micro-drip tubing uses 60 — chosen based on how slowly the fluid must run.

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