1. What is the Mosteller BSA Formula?

The Mosteller formula is a simple and widely used method to calculate body surface area (BSA) from height and weight. It's commonly used in medicine to calculate proper medication doses, particularly for chemotherapy and other drugs where dosage is based on body size.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( W \) — Weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( H \) — Height in centimeters (cm)

Explanation: The formula calculates the square root of the product of weight and height divided by 3600, providing BSA in square meters (m²).

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is crucial for determining appropriate medication doses, particularly for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows like chemotherapy, where dosage must be carefully calibrated to body size.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. Both values must be positive numbers. For accurate results, use actual measurements rather than estimates.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Mosteller instead of other BSA formulas?
A: The Mosteller formula is simple, validated, and widely accepted in clinical practice, providing results comparable to more complex formulas.

Q2: What are typical BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women, but varies significantly with body size.

Q3: When is BSA used for dosing?
A: Commonly used for chemotherapy, some antibiotics, and other drugs where toxicity is related to body size.

Q4: Are there limitations to BSA dosing?
A: BSA doesn't account for body composition. Obese patients may require alternative dosing strategies.

Q5: Should this be used for pediatric dosing?
A: While BSA is sometimes used for children, many pediatric medications are dosed by weight (mg/kg).