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Venous Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide
Abbreviation: PvCO2
Panel: Blood Gas Tests · All blood gas tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | 41–51 mmHg |
| SI units | 5.5–6.8 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 venous partial pressure of carbon dioxide: high values can be seen in hypoventilation and respiratory failure.
Low venous partial pressure of carbon dioxide: low values may occur in hyperventilation.
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
Venous values are normally slightly higher than arterial values.
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.