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Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide, Arterial
Abbreviation: PaCO2
Panel: Blood Gas Tests · All blood gas tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | 35–45 mmHg |
| SI units | 4.7–6.0 kPa |
Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.
What a high or low result can mean
High partial pressure of carbon dioxide, arterial: high values can be seen in hypoventilation and respiratory failure.
Low partial pressure of carbon dioxide, arterial: low values may occur in hyperventilation, including compensation for metabolic acidosis.
These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.
Related tests — Blood Gas Tests
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.