PCO2


The pCO2, PCO2, or is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide, often used in reference to blood but also used in oceanography to describe the partial pressure of CO2 in the ocean and in life support systems engineering and underwater diving to describe the partial pressure in a breathing gas. Usually, the arterial blood is the relevant context; the symbol for in arterial blood is. Measurement of in the systemic circulation indicates the effectiveness of ventilation at the lungs' alveoli, given the diffusing capacity of the gas. It is a good indicator of respiratory function and the closely related factor of acid–base homeostasis, reflecting the amount of acid in the blood.

Values in blood