Note. Some biological measures have been extracted from the text and listed here for easy reference. In some cases slightly different ‘normals’ may be found in other texts and used by different medical practitioners.
Metric measures, units and SI symbols
|
Name |
SI unit |
Symbol |
|
Length |
metre |
m |
|
Mass |
kilogram |
kg |
|
Amount of substance |
mole |
mol |
|
Pressure |
pascal |
Pa |
|
Energy |
joule |
J |
Decimal multiples and submultiples of the units are formed by the use of standard prefixes.
Conversion table for kPa/mmHg (for e.g. capillary pressures)
|
1 mmHg |
= 0.13 kPa |
|
1 kPa |
= 7.5 mmHg |
|
35 mmHg |
= 4.7 kPa |
|
25 mmHg |
= 3.3 kPa |
|
15 mmHg |
= 2.0 kPa |
|
10 mmHg |
= 1.3 kPa |
Hydrogen ion concentration (pH)
Neutral = 7 Acid = 0 to 7 Alkaline = 7 to 14
|
Normal pH of some body fluids |
|
|
Blood |
7.35 to 7.45 |
|
Saliva |
5.8 to 7.4 |
|
Gastric juice |
1.5 to 3.5 |
|
Bile |
6.0 to 8.5 |
|
Urine |
4.5 to 8.0 |
Some normal plasma levels in adults
|
Calcium |
2.12 to 2.62 mmol/l |
(8.5 to 10.5 mg/100 ml) |
|
Chloride |
97 to 106 mmol/l |
(97 to 106 mEq/l) |
|
Cholesterol |
3.6 to 6.7 mmol/l |
(140 to 260 mg/100 ml) |
|
Glucose |
3.5 to 8 mmol/l |
(63 to 144 mg/100 ml) |
|
Fasting glucose |
3.6 to 5.8 mmol/l |
(65 to 105 mg/100 ml) |
|
Potassium |
3.3 to 4.7 mmol/l |
(3.3 to 4.7 mEq/l) |
|
Sodium |
135 to 143 mmol/l |
(135 to 143 mEq/l) |
|
Urea |
2.5 to 6.6 mmol/l |
(15 to 44 mg/100 ml) |
Arterial blood gases
|
PO2 |
12 to 15 kPa |
(90 to 110 mmHg) |
|
PCO2 |
4.5 to 6 kPa |
(34 to 46 mmHg) |
|
Bicarbonate |
21 to 27.5 mmol/l |
|
|
H+ ions |
36 to 44 nmol/l |
(7.35 to 7.45 pH units) |
Blood pressure
Normal adult 120/80 mmHg.
Blood pressure above 140/90 is generally considered high.
Heart rate
|
At rest |
60 to 80/min |
|
Sinus bradycardia |
<60/min |
|
Sinus tachycardia |
>100/min |
Respiration rate
At rest 15 to 18/min
|
Tidal volume |
500 ml |
|
Dead space |
150 ml |
|
Alveolar ventilation |
15 (500 – 150) = 5.25 l/min |
Blood count
Diet
Vitamins. Daily requirements see pages 272–274.
|
1 kilocalorie (kcal) |
= 4.182 kilojoules (kJ) |
|
1 kilojoule |
= 0.24 kilocalories |
|
Energy source |
Energy released |
Recommended proportion in diet |
|
Carbohydrate |
1 g = 17 kJ = 4 kcal |
55–75% |
|
Protein |
1 g = 17 kJ = 4 kcal |
10–15% |
|
Fat |
1 g = 38 kJ = 9 kcal |
15–30% |
Urine
|
Specific gravity |
1.020 to 1.030 |
|
Volume excreted |
1000 to 1500 ml/day |
Glucose is normally absent, but appears in urine when blood glucose levels exceed 9 mmol/l
Body temperatures
|
Normal |
36.8°C: axillary |
|
Hypothermia |
≤35°C: core temperature |
|
Death when below |
25°C |
Cerebrospinal fluid pressure
Lying on the side 60–180 mm H2O
Intraocular pressure
1.3 to 2.6 kPa (10 to 20 mmHg)