Field medications · Adult & pediatric guidance · ALS
Dextrose 10% (D10)
Treat hypoglycemia with a titrated adult dose or measured pediatric volume.
OCEMS source summary · Updated 2026-09-16
Check before giving
D10 is 10% dextrose; do not substitute a different concentration while retaining the same volume.
The usual IO exception requires an unconscious patient, glucose below 60, inability to obtain IV access, and no response to IM glucagon. Check the exact condition order.
Use in OCEMS
Used for symptomatic or suspected hypoglycemia in the applicable altered-mental-status, seizure, shock, and other condition-specific pathways.
Adult PR-085 treats glucose at or below 60 mg/dL, and permits clinical judgment in the 60–80 range when hypoglycemia is suspected. Other standing orders use their own threshold wording.
Adult / adolescent
Indication / route
Dose & limits
Hypoglycemia
D10 up to 250 mL IV, titrated to improve consciousness. Reduce to a keep-open rate when baseline mental status returns.
Pediatric
SO-P-065: glucose below 60 mg/dL → D10 5 mL/kg IV, maximum 250 mL. The seizure and overdose standing orders have their own threshold wording; use the applicable source.
PR-085 allows a measured IVPB dose or slow IV administration from a syringe. For IVPB, remove excess fluid so the bag contains only the intended pediatric dose.
Pediatric weight table — Hypoglycemia — D10
Source: SO-P-065. Dose rule: 5 mL/kg; route: IV.
D10 (100 mg/mL): 5 mL/kg IV, maximum 250 mL. These values are fluid volumes of D10, not milligrams and not volumes of D50.
For altered mental status, treat glucose below 60 mg/dL. Other pediatric standing orders have indication-specific thresholds.
IO under SO-P-065 requires unconsciousness, glucose below 60, inability to establish IV, and no response to IM glucagon. Remove excess fluid from an IVPB bag so only the intended pediatric dose remains.
Calculated examples for the exact weights shown, using the named standing-order/procedure formula. Do not round the patient’s weight to the nearest row. For another weight, calculate from the stated formula and apply the limits. These are not the rounded I-20 weight-band volumes.
Exact weight
Dose — IV
3 kg
15 mL
4 kg
20 mL
5 kg
25 mL
6 kg
30 mL
8 kg
40 mL
10 kg
50 mL
12 kg
60 mL
15 kg
75 mL
20 kg
100 mL
25 kg
125 mL
30 kg
150 mL
35 kg
175 mL
40 kg
200 mL
45 kg
225 mL
50 kg
250 mL
60 kg
250 mL
Preparation & reassessment
Verify glucose, weight when pediatric, concentration, and intended milliliters.
Follow PR-085 when giving other medications through the line; flush as directed. Document glucose, mental status, administered volume, and response.