1. What is the Mosteller Formula?

The Mosteller formula is a simple and widely used method for calculating body surface area (BSA) from a person's height and weight. It's commonly used in medical practice for drug dosing and other clinical calculations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( W \) — Weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( H \) — Height in centimeters (cm)
• \( BSA \) — Body surface area in square meters (m²)

Explanation: The formula calculates the square root of the product of weight and height divided by 3600.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used for calculating drug dosages, chemotherapy regimens, fluid requirements, and for indexing various physiological measurements.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Mosteller formula instead of others?
A: The Mosteller formula is simple, easy to remember, and has been validated against more complex methods.

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

Q3: When is BSA most important?
A: Particularly important for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric dosing, and in burn patients.

Q4: Are there limitations to this formula?
A: Less accurate at extremes of body size (very obese or very thin individuals).

Q5: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: The calculator requires kg and cm. Convert pounds to kg (1 lb = 0.4536 kg) and inches to cm (1 in = 2.54 cm).