{"success":true,"version":"v1","request":{"tool":"get_calculator_schema","calculator_id":"iv-drip-rate"},"result":{"entity_type":"calculator","id":"iv-drip-rate","calculator_id":"iv-drip-rate","canonical_url":"https://tttkmbb.com/medical/iv-drip-rate","name":"IV Drip Rate Calculator","title":"IV Drip Rate Calculator – Drops per Minute and mL per Hour from Volume, Time and Drop Factor","category":"medical","category_name":"Medical & Clinical","tool_name":"calculate_iv_drip_rate","featured_mcp_tool":false,"description":"Converts an infusion volume and duration into a gravity drip rate in drops per minute for a given tubing drop factor, and the equivalent pump rate in mL per hour.","use_when":"You need to set a gravity infusion (macrodrip 10, 15 or 20 gtt/mL, microdrip 60 gtt/mL) or an infusion pump for a given volume over a given time.","do_not_use_when":"The medication needs a weight-based dose first (use dose-by-weight) or the infusion is controlled by a syringe driver in mL/h with a dose-rate unit.","inputs":[{"name":"volume_ml","label":"Volume to infuse","type":"number","unit":"mL","required":true,"max":20000,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Total volume of the infusion.","example":1000},{"name":"duration_minutes","label":"Infusion time","type":"number","unit":"min","required":true,"max":10080,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Time over which the volume is to run (hours × 60).","example":480},{"name":"drop_factor_gtt_per_ml","label":"Drop factor","type":"number","unit":"gtt/mL","required":false,"default":20,"min":1,"max":100,"description":"Drops per mL printed on the giving set: 10, 15 or 20 for macrodrip, 60 for microdrip.","example":20}],"outputs":[{"name":"drops_per_minute","label":"Drip rate","type":"number","unit":"gtt/min","decimals":1,"description":"volume × drop factor / minutes."},{"name":"drops_per_minute_rounded","label":"Drip rate (rounded)","type":"integer","unit":"gtt/min","decimals":4,"description":"Nearest whole drop per minute, as set at the bedside."},{"name":"ml_per_hour","label":"Pump rate","type":"number","unit":"mL/h","decimals":1,"description":"volume / hours."},{"name":"seconds_per_drop","label":"Seconds per drop","type":"number","unit":"s","decimals":1,"description":"60 / drops per minute."},{"name":"duration_hours","label":"Duration","type":"number","unit":"h","decimals":2,"description":"Infusion time in hours."}],"input_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"volume_ml":{"description":"Total volume of the infusion. Unit: mL.","type":"number","maximum":20000,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"examples":[1000],"x-unit":"mL"},"duration_minutes":{"description":"Time over which the volume is to run (hours × 60). Unit: min.","type":"number","maximum":10080,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"examples":[480],"x-unit":"min"},"drop_factor_gtt_per_ml":{"description":"Drops per mL printed on the giving set: 10, 15 or 20 for macrodrip, 60 for microdrip. Unit: gtt/mL.","type":"number","minimum":1,"maximum":100,"default":20,"examples":[20],"x-unit":"gtt/mL"}},"additionalProperties":false,"required":["volume_ml","duration_minutes"]},"output_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"drops_per_minute":{"description":"volume × drop factor / minutes. Unit: gtt/min.","type":"number","x-unit":"gtt/min"},"drops_per_minute_rounded":{"description":"Nearest whole drop per minute, as set at the bedside. Unit: gtt/min.","type":"integer","x-unit":"gtt/min"},"ml_per_hour":{"description":"volume / hours. Unit: mL/h.","type":"number","x-unit":"mL/h"},"seconds_per_drop":{"description":"60 / drops per minute. Unit: s.","type":"number","x-unit":"s"},"duration_hours":{"description":"Infusion time in hours. Unit: h.","type":"number","x-unit":"h"}}},"formula":"drops_per_minute = volume_ml × drop_factor_gtt_per_ml / duration_minutes; ml_per_hour = volume_ml / (duration_minutes / 60)","method":"Gravity drip rates are approximate: drop size varies with fluid viscosity and set design, and the rate must be rechecked as bag height and venous pressure change. Results are informational only and not a substitute for clinical judgement or medical advice.","sources":[{"name":"Craker M, Janke C (2024) Nursing Dosage Calculations (open textbook, WisTech Open)","url":"https://wtcs.pressbooks.pub/nursingdosagecalculations/","type":"textbook","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"},{"name":"Wikipedia – Drop (unit): IV drop factors","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_(unit)","type":"reference","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"}],"freshness":{"type":"static","max_age_seconds":null,"note":"Deterministic formula with fixed constants; results never go stale. Inputs supplied by the caller determine the output."},"examples":[{"name":"1000 mL over 8 h, 20 gtt/mL","inputs":{"volume_ml":1000,"duration_minutes":480,"drop_factor_gtt_per_ml":20},"expected":{"drops_per_minute":41.7,"drops_per_minute_rounded":42,"ml_per_hour":125,"duration_hours":8},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/iv-drip-rate?volume_ml=1000&duration_minutes=480&drop_factor_gtt_per_ml=20"},{"name":"100 mL over 30 min, microdrip 60 gtt/mL","inputs":{"volume_ml":100,"duration_minutes":30,"drop_factor_gtt_per_ml":60},"expected":{"drops_per_minute":200,"ml_per_hour":200,"seconds_per_drop":0.3},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/iv-drip-rate?volume_ml=100&duration_minutes=30&drop_factor_gtt_per_ml=60"}],"faq":[{"q":"Why does microdrip give the same number as mL/h?","a":"With 60 gtt/mL, drops per minute equal mL per hour (60 drops/mL × mL/h ÷ 60 min/h), which is why microdrip sets are used for precise low-volume infusions."},{"q":"Should I round the drip rate?","a":"Yes, to the nearest whole drop per minute; count drops for a full minute (or 15 s × 4) when setting the roller clamp."}],"tags":["iv drip rate","drops per minute","drop factor","infusion rate","gtt/min"],"related":[{"calculator_id":"dose-by-weight","reason":"Calculate the dose and volume before setting the rate."},{"calculator_id":"maintenance-fluids","reason":"Hourly maintenance volumes to infuse."}],"links":{"html":"https://tttkmbb.com/medical/iv-drip-rate","markdown":"https://tttkmbb.com/medical/iv-drip-rate.md","json":"https://tttkmbb.com/medical/iv-drip-rate.json","api":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/iv-drip-rate","schema":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/iv-drip-rate","openapi":"https://tttkmbb.com/openapi.json","mcp":"https://tttkmbb.com/mcp"},"version":"v1","updated_at":"2026-09-24"},"timestamp":"2026-09-24T02:02:30Z"}