Recipe for IV Fluids

Normal Saline

1 tsp salt = 2,300mg sodium = 100 mmol sodium

1 gallon = 3.78 liters
1 liter of NS has 154 mmol of sodium
1 gallon need 582 mmol of sodium (154 * 3.78)
582/100 = approx 6 tsp of sodium

3% Saline

1 tsp salt = 2,300mg sodium = 100 mmol sodium

1 gallon = 3.78 liters
1 liter of 3% has 513 mmol of sodium
1 gallon need 1,939 mmol of sodium (513 * 3.78)
1,939/100 = approx 20 tsp of sodium

D5W

1 tsp sugar = 4.2 g sugar

1 gallon = 3.78 liters
1 liter of D5W has 50 g of sugar (glucose)
1 gallon needs 189 g of sugar (50 * 3.78)
189/4.2 = approx 45 tsp of sugar or 15 tablespoons
Anyone want to check my math?

IV fluid taste testing at McLaren Macomb Hospital

@kidney_boy Your math is correct, of course depending on the size of a table spoon http://t.co/OvkVzDoWMJ. In netherlands 1tsp = 10g NaCl
— Martijn vd Hoogen (@MWF_vd_Hoogen) August 13, 2014

@kidney_boy would be good to say glucose instead of “sugar”
— Lewis (@Lewis_Lab) August 14, 2014