1. What is a BSA Dose Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates medication dose based on body surface area (BSA) using the Mosteller formula.

Purpose: It helps medical professionals determine appropriate medication dosing that accounts for patient size.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formulas:

Where:

• \( \text{Dose} \) — Calculated dose (mg)
• \( D_{m2} \) — Dose per square meter (mg/m²)
• \( \text{BSA} \) — Body surface area (m²)
• \( W \) — Weight (kg)
• \( H \) — Height (cm)

Explanation: The Mosteller formula calculates BSA from height and weight, which is then multiplied by the dose per m² to get the total dose.

3. Importance of BSA-based Dosing

Details: BSA dosing provides more accurate medication calculations than weight-based dosing, especially for chemotherapy and other drugs with narrow therapeutic windows.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the dose per m², patient weight in kg, and height in cm. All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use BSA instead of weight for dosing?
A: BSA better correlates with metabolic rate and drug clearance than weight alone, especially for drugs with narrow therapeutic indices.

Q2: What's the Mosteller formula?
A: It's a widely used BSA calculation: BSA (m²) = √[height (cm) × weight (kg) / 3600], equivalent to the form shown above.

Q3: When is BSA dosing particularly important?
A: Critical for chemotherapy, some antibiotics, and medications where toxicity is a major concern.

Q4: Are there limitations to BSA dosing?
A: Yes, it may not be optimal for obese patients or medications primarily distributed in body water.

Q5: Should I round the calculated dose?
A: Follow your institution's protocols, but typically doses are rounded to practical administration amounts.