This page is a guide attempting to put some of the working of the app in perspective so that its use may be optimised.
Clinical applicability
This app is a calculator designed for veterinary professionals, and does not give and is not a substitute, for (the users) clinical judgement. Values produced will often require clinical interpretation to gauge their applicability and the app uses a set formulas, where available references are provided to corroborate their use, but fundamentally the app can only calculate values and doesn’t state if they are appropriate.
Rounding and significant figures
The app aim to strike a balance between usable numbers and accuracy. This means that numbers are rounded up (or down) or limited to a set number of significant figures in different calculators. If there is a risk that producing a usable number may give a figure that is inappropriate then there is a tendency to show a number that is more accurate but not always realistic.
For example: if a CRI rate needs to be 0.256ml/hr and rounding up to 0.26ml/hr produces a value that differs significantly from the desired amount, then the 0.256 figure will be used, even though it is not achievable in real world situations.
Switching between kg & lb
If a user opts to use lb in the app all of the default values stored are converted. Likewise if they swap back to kg the values are reconverted. This means that the original values may not be the same.
For example: 1mg/kg equals 0.4545454545*mg/lb. This is rounded to 0.45mg/lb and as such on conversion back to ‘kg’ the final value will be 0.99mg/lg. This comprise provides usable figures with minimal loss to accuracy.
The user can elect to reset the app to its default values to circumvent this disparity in values, but they will use any custom values they have entered.
Abstract values
In many calculators the app will inform the user if they are using inappropriate values or the calculated values are outside of the desired range.
For example: It is not possible to set a CRI rate where the conc. of the final solution exceeds the drug conc.
For example: Drip rates are rounded to a whole drip. Thus if the drip rate then given differs from the desired rate by a certain percentage the user is alerted.
However, the app currently does not advise against obscure values and the interpretation of the results is at the users discretion. This app is a calculator and does not give, and is not a substitute, for (the users) clinical judgement.
For example: PCV percentages are not compared to normal values. The app will allow the user to use values as low as 0% and as high as 100%.