Body Surface Area Calculator Medication Doses

Body Surface Area Formula (Mosteller):

\[ BSA = \sqrt{\frac{W \times H}{3600}} \]

Body Surface Area (m²):

Definition: BSA is the measured or calculated surface area of the human body, used in medical practice for medication dosing.

Purpose: It helps healthcare professionals determine appropriate drug dosages that correlate better with metabolic rate than body weight alone.

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

\[ BSA = \sqrt{\frac{W \times H}{3600}} \]

Where:

Explanation: This formula provides a simple yet accurate way to estimate BSA by combining weight and height measurements.

Details: BSA is crucial for determining dosages of chemotherapy drugs, antimicrobials, and other medications where toxicity is a concern.

Tips: Enter the patient's weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. All values must be > 0.

Q1: Why use BSA instead of weight for dosing?
A: BSA correlates better with metabolic processes and drug clearance rates than body weight alone.

Q2: What's the average BSA for adults?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women.

Q3: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, including Du Bois, Haycock, and Gehan-George formulas, but Mosteller is most commonly used.

Q4: When is BSA most important?
A: Critical for chemotherapy, pediatric dosing, and drugs with narrow therapeutic windows.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The Mosteller formula is accurate within 1-2% of more complex calculations.