Question

A patient is to receive IV fluid over a specific time. The drop factor for the tubing is 1 drop = 1 gtt. What is the correct flow rate setting in drops per minute?

a) 1/2gtt/min

b) 2 gtt/min

c) 10 gtt/min

d) 20 gtt/min

Answer 1

Without more context, the correct IV flow rate setting in drops per minute cannot be determined. The flow rate will decrease if the viscosity of the fluid is increased, according to Poiseuille's law.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question you've asked concerns the calculation of the correct flow rate of intravenous (IV) fluids, given a change in viscosity of the fluid being administered. However, the original question about the correct flow rate setting in drops per minute for a 1 gtt/mL drop factor is incomplete without additional information such as the volume of fluid to be infused and the time over which the infusion is to take place. The additional content provided about glucose solution and whole blood viscosity involves the principles of fluid dynamics and would require the application of Poiseuille's law to solve, which relates flow rate to viscosity, among other factors. When the viscosity of a fluid is increased, all else being constant, the flow rate will decrease. Specifically, if the whole blood's viscosity is 2.50 times that of the glucose solution, the new flow rate would be less than the initial 4.00 cm³/min, inversely proportional to the increase in viscosity.