1. What is mg/kg to mg/m² Conversion?

The mg/kg to mg/m² conversion is used to adjust medication doses based on body surface area (BSA) rather than just body weight. This is particularly important in chemotherapy and other medications where BSA provides a more accurate dosing parameter.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the following equation:

Where:

• \( \text{mg/kg} \) — Dose per kilogram of body weight
• \( \text{Weight}_\text{kg} \) — Patient's weight in kilograms
• \( \text{BSA}_\text{m²} \) — Patient's body surface area in square meters

Explanation: The equation converts a weight-based dose to a body surface area-based dose, which often correlates better with metabolic rate and drug distribution.

3. Importance of Dose Conversion

Details: Many medications, especially chemotherapeutic agents, are dosed based on body surface area because it better represents metabolic mass and drug distribution than body weight alone.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the dose in mg/kg, patient's weight in kg, and body surface area in m². All values must be positive numbers. BSA can be calculated using separate formulas if not known.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use mg/m² instead of mg/kg?
A: Body surface area correlates better with metabolic processes and drug distribution, especially for medications that affect rapidly dividing cells.

Q2: How is BSA typically calculated?
A: Common formulas include Du Bois, Mosteller, or Haycock formulas using height and weight measurements.

Q3: When is this conversion most important?
A: Primarily for chemotherapy, some antibiotics, and other drugs where precise dosing is critical.

Q4: Are there limitations to this approach?
A: May be less accurate in extremes of body composition (very obese or very lean individuals).

Q5: Should this be used for all medications?
A: No, only for medications specifically dosed by body surface area - always follow prescribing guidelines.