1. What is the Mosteller BSA Formula?

The Mosteller formula is a simple and widely used method to calculate body surface area (BSA) from a person's height and weight. It's commonly used in medical practice to calculate medication dosages and medical indicators.

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 an estimate of body surface area in square meters.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is used to calculate drug dosages for chemotherapy, cardiac index, and other medical parameters that need to be adjusted for a patient's body size.

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 to calculate and has been validated against more complex methods. It's widely accepted in clinical practice.

Q2: What are typical BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women. Children have smaller values based on their size.

Q3: When is BSA most important?
A: BSA is crucial for chemotherapy dosing, pediatric dosing, and when calculating cardiac index or other size-dependent parameters.

Q4: Are there limitations to this formula?
A: Like all BSA formulas, it may be less accurate in extremely obese or cachectic patients.

Q5: Can I use pounds and inches?
A: The formula requires metric units. Convert pounds to kg (1 lb = 0.453592 kg) and inches to cm (1 inch = 2.54 cm) first.