pCO2 Unit Converter

pCO2 (partial pressure of carbon dioxide) measures the amount of carbon dioxide gas dissolved in your blood. It reflects how well your lungs are removing carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism, from your body.

Only about 5% of total blood CO2 exists in this dissolved gaseous form. The rest is carried as bicarbonate or bound to hemoglobin. Despite this small fraction, pCO2 is a critical indicator of respiratory function and acid-base balance.

The normal range for arterial pCO2 is 35-45 mmHg (4.7-6.0 kPa). Venous pCO2 is typically 4-8 mmHg higher than arterial values.

Carbon dioxide is produced continuously by cells throughout the body as a byproduct of aerobic metabolism. It diffuses from tissues into the bloodstream and is transported to the lungs, where it is exhaled.