Table 1 Formulae for the calculation of systemic oxygen delivery
Calculation of oxygen delivery (Do2)Example in a 70 kg man
Do2 = Q × Cao2Do2 = 4.9×194 = 950.6 ml/min
Q = HR × SVQ = 70×70 = 4.9 l/min
Cao2 =  ([Hb]× Sao2 × H) + (Pao2 × S)Cao2 =  (14.0×.98×1.39) + (13.3×0.0225) = 19.1+0.3 = 19.4 ml O2/100 ml blood = 194 ml O2/l

  • Cao2, arterial oxygen content; H, Hufners constant (1.39); [Hb], haemoglobin concentration; HR, heart rate; Pao2, arterial partial pressure of oxygen; Q, cardiac output; S, solubility coefficient of oxygen (0.0225); Sao2, arterial oxygen saturation of haemoglobin; SV, stroke volume.