Order: dobutamine 5 mcg/kg/min

Patient's weight: 152 lb

Available: dobutamine 500 mg in 250 mL D5W

What is the flow rate in ml/hr? (Round to the nearest tenths)

A) Distribution:. Distribution refers to the process by which a drug is transported throughout the body after it is absorbed into the bloodstream. It involves the movement of the drug to various tissues and organs, where it can exert its effects. Factors such as blood flow, tissue permeability, and protein binding affect distribution.

B) Metabolism:
Metabolism refers to the biochemical process by which the body breaks down drugs into metabolites, usually in the liver. Metabolism can transform drugs into more easily excreted forms and sometimes alters the drug’s activity. It is essential for drug clearance and can affect drug efficacy and toxicity.

C) Absorption:
Absorption is the first step in pharmacokinetics, where the drug enters the bloodstream after being administered. It occurs primarily in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract for oral medications but can also happen in other routes like subcutaneous or intramuscular injections. The rate and extent of absorption are influenced by factors such as drug formulation, route of administration, and presence of food.

D) Synthesis:
Synthesis refers to the process of creating substances, such as drugs or other compounds, typically within the body or in a laboratory setting. While drug synthesis is crucial in drug development, it is not a step involved in the movement or processing of drugs within the body (which is what pharmacokinetics describes). Pharmacokinetics focuses on how the body handles drugs, not how they are created.

A) Anticoagulants:
Anticoagulants, such as warfarin, heparin, and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), are specifically designed to prevent the formation of blood clots or to treat existing clots. They work by interfering with various stages of the clotting cascade, either by inhibiting clotting factors or by enhancing the effects of natural anticoagulants in the body.

B) Antihypertensives:
Antihypertensives, such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers, are used to lower high blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, reducing heart rate, or decreasing fluid retention. While antihypertensives can reduce the overall strain on the heart and blood vessels, they do not have an impact on the clotting process and are not designed to interfere with blood coagulation.

C) Antibiotics:
Antibiotics, such as penicillin or amoxicillin, target bacteria and prevent their growth or kill them, but they do not affect the clotting mechanisms in the blood.

D) Antipyretics:
Antipyretics, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen, work by lowering the body's set point temperature in the hypothalamus, helping to relieve fever. They do not affect the clotting cascade or the ability of blood to form clots, so antipyretics are a correct answer.

E) Antiemetics:
Antiemetics, such as ondansetron or metoclopramide, are used to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting. They primarily work by blocking the receptors in the brain that trigger nausea and vomiting but do not have an effect on the clotting process. Thus, antiemetics are a correct answer.