basal rate
basal rate
A generic term for any baseline level of secretion or production of a particular substance.basal rate
Patient care
The basal rate of drug infusion in PCA is often set at zero to ensure that all doses of pain medication are dictated by the patient's individual needs for pain control. High basal rates may occasionally result in narcotic overdose. Basal rates above zero are used under carefully controlled circumstances to facilitate rest or sleep.