A pocket calculator program for intravenous requirements.

A program to calculate the 24-h intravenous requirements of water, nitrogen, energy and six electrolytes on a card-programmable pocket calculator is described. Comparison of calculator-generated requirements with intravenous feeding regimens prescribed by junior clinicians for 8 ill patients suggests that the clinicians provide too much water and too little nitrogen and energy. Certain program modifications are necessary to widen the useful clinical application of the calculator, but in general it is a useful bedside tool capable of further application to suitable medical tasks.