Medical & Health Converter - Free Online Tool

Convert medical & health units instantly. Support for 4+ units including Millimeters of Mercury, Kilopascal, MET. Free calculator with formula and table.

🏥 Medical & Health Converter

Select your units from the lists below

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From Unit
  • Millimeters of Mercury

    Symbol: mmHg

  • Kilopascal

    Symbol: kPa

  • MET

    Symbol: MET

  • mL O₂/kg/min

    Symbol: mL O₂/kg/min
To Unit
  • Millimeters of Mercury

    Symbol: mmHg

  • Kilopascal

    Symbol: kPa

  • MET

    Symbol: MET

  • mL O₂/kg/min

    Symbol: mL O₂/kg/min

🏥 Medical & Health Converter

Medical measurements appear in healthcare, patient monitoring, and medical diagnosis. Convert between millimeters of mercury (mmHg), kilopascals, METs (metabolic equivalents), VO₂ max, and other medical units instantly. Whether you're monitoring blood pressure, assessing fitness, or working in healthcare, our converter handles the calculations.

🏥 About Medical & Health

Medical measurement uses specialized units for vital signs, fitness assessment, and healthcare monitoring. Millimeters of mercury (mmHg) measure blood pressure and other body fluid pressures, while kilopascals provide the SI equivalent. METs (metabolic equivalents) measure exercise intensity relative to rest, and VO₂ max measures maximum oxygen consumption. From healthcare and patient monitoring to medical diagnosis, these measurements are used everywhere. Different regions use different units. While mmHg remains standard for blood pressure in most countries, some regions use kilopascals. Working with all these units helps healthcare professionals with patient monitoring and international medical standards.

Understanding Medical & Health Measurement

Medical measurement encompasses several vital health metrics. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), representing the height of a mercury column balanced by blood pressure. One mmHg equals approximately 133.322 pascals. Blood pressure readings include systolic (pressure during heartbeats) and diastolic (pressure between beats) values, typically expressed as systolic/diastolic (e.g., 120/80 mmHg). METs (metabolic equivalents) measure exercise intensity, with one MET equal to resting metabolic rate (approximately 3.5 mL O₂/kg/min). VO₂ max measures maximum oxygen consumption during intense exercise, typically expressed in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. These measurements work together to assess cardiovascular health, fitness levels, and exercise capacity, making conversion between units essential for comprehensive health assessment.

📜 History & Context

The history of medical measurement dates back to 1733, when Stephen Hales first measured blood pressure by inserting a tube into a horse's artery and observing blood rise in a glass tube. In 1828, Jean Léonard Marie Poiseuille introduced the mercury manometer, allowing more precise measurements using mercury height. The unit "millimeters of mercury" (mmHg) emerged from these mercury-based devices. The modern era of non-invasive blood pressure measurement began in 1896, when Scipione Riva-Rocci invented the inflatable cuff mercury sphygmomanometer. In 1905, Nikolai Korotkoff added the auscultatory method—listening for characteristic sounds with a stethoscope—enabling measurement of both systolic and diastolic pressure. Despite modern devices moving away from mercury for safety reasons, the mmHg unit persists for consistency and comparability with historical data. The MET concept was developed in the 1990s for epidemiological studies, providing a standardized way to quantify physical activity intensity.

Fun Facts

  • The first blood pressure measurement was performed in 1733 by Stephen Hales, who inserted a tube into a horse's artery and measured blood rising about 8 feet in a glass tube.
  • The inflatable cuff sphygmomanometer was invented in 1896 by Scipione Riva-Rocci, and the method for measuring both systolic and diastolic pressure was added in 1905 by Nikolai Korotkoff.
  • One millimeter of mercury (mmHg) equals approximately 133.322 pascals, though mmHg remains the standard unit for blood pressure in healthcare despite not being an SI unit.
  • Blood pressure readings are sometimes noted as "RR" in some regions, honoring Riva-Rocci, the inventor of the inflatable cuff sphygmomanometer.
  • Modern blood pressure guidelines consider 130/80 mmHg or higher as hypertension in the United States, though older guidelines used 140/90 mmHg as the threshold.

💡 Real-World Examples

  • Blood pressure monitoring: Healthcare professionals measure blood pressure in mmHg. Converting to kilopascals helps with some international medical standards and reporting.
  • Patient care: Medical professionals monitor vital signs in various units. Converting between units helps with patient assessment and international healthcare standards.
  • Exercise prescription: Fitness professionals prescribe exercise intensity using METs or VO₂ max. Converting between units helps with exercise prescription and health standards.
  • Cardiac rehabilitation: Cardiac rehabilitation programs measure exercise capacity in METs or VO₂ max. Converting between units helps with program design and medical standards.
  • Health assessment: Medical assessments measure fitness and health metrics in various units. Converting between units helps with health evaluation and international medical standards.
  • Medical research: Healthcare research measures physiological parameters in different units. Converting between units helps with research reporting and international scientific collaboration.
  • Remote patient monitoring: Home monitoring devices measure blood pressure in mmHg. Converting to other units helps with data sharing and international healthcare standards.
  • Medical device calibration: Medical devices are calibrated in various units. Converting between units helps with device certification and international medical device standards.

🔧 Common Applications

  • Healthcare and patient care: Blood pressure monitoring, vital signs measurement, and patient care use mmHg and other medical units. Converting between units helps with patient assessment and international healthcare standards.
  • Exercise medicine and rehabilitation: Exercise prescription, cardiac rehabilitation, and fitness assessment measure capacity in METs and VO₂ max. Converting between units helps with program design and medical standards.
  • Medical research: Healthcare research, clinical trials, and medical studies measure physiological parameters in various units. Converting between units helps with research reporting and international scientific collaboration.
  • Medical device development: Medical device design, calibration, and certification measure parameters in different units. Converting between units helps with device development and international medical device standards.
  • Health and fitness assessment: Health screening, fitness evaluation, and wellness programs measure health metrics in various units. Converting between units helps with health assessment and international health standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

+ How do I convert millimeters of mercury (mmHg) to kilopascals?

To convert mmHg to kilopascals (kPa), multiply the mmHg value by 0.133322. For example, 120 mmHg (systolic blood pressure) equals approximately 16.0 kPa, and 80 mmHg (diastolic) equals approximately 10.7 kPa.

+ What is normal blood pressure in different units?

Normal blood pressure is approximately 120/80 mmHg (systolic/diastolic), which equals about 16.0/10.7 kPa. Blood pressure is typically measured in mmHg, but some medical devices and international standards use kilopascals.

+ How do I convert METs to calories burned?

To estimate calories burned from METs, multiply METs by body weight in kilograms by duration in hours. For example, a 70 kg person doing 5 METs activity for 1 hour burns approximately 350 calories (5 × 70 × 1). METs measure exercise intensity relative to resting metabolism.

+ What is VO₂ max and what are normal values?

VO₂ max measures maximum oxygen consumption during exercise, indicating cardiovascular fitness. It's measured in ml/kg/min. Average values: sedentary (25-35), active (35-45), athletic (45-55), elite (60+). Higher values indicate better cardiovascular fitness.

+ How do I convert kilopascals to millimeters of mercury?

To convert kilopascals (kPa) to mmHg, multiply the kPa value by 7.50062. For example, 16 kPa equals approximately 120 mmHg, and 10.7 kPa equals approximately 80 mmHg. This conversion is commonly used for blood pressure measurements.

Popular Medical & Health Conversions

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Full Medical & Health Conversion Matrix

Complete list of supported medical & health units for precision conversions.