Partial Pressure of Oxygen, Arterial
Abbreviation: PaO2
Panel: Blood Gas Tests · All blood gas tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | 80–100 mmHg |
| SI units | 10.7–13.3 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 oxygen, arterial: high values can be seen in people receiving supplemental oxygen.
Low partial pressure of oxygen, arterial: low values may occur in lung disease, hypoventilation, and at high altitude.
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.
Good to know
Expected values fall with age and altitude and rise with supplemental oxygen.