Centimeters of water (cmH2O) is a unit of pressure commonly used in medical and scientific contexts, particularly in respiratory medicine. It is based on the height of a column of water in a manometer, with one centimeter of water representing the pressure exerted by a column of water one centimeter in height.
CmH2O is often used to measure the pressure of gases, such as in the lungs or in a ventilator. It is also used to measure the pressure of fluids, such as in the circulatory system or in a dialysis machine. For example, in respiratory medicine, cmH2O is used to measure the pressure that is delivered to a patient's airways during mechanical ventilation.
CmH2O can be converted to other units of pressure, such as millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or kilopascals (kPa), depending on the context. To convert cmH2O to mmHg, the value in cmH2O is multiplied by 0.7356. To convert cmH2O to kPa, the value in cmH2O is divided by 10.1972.
CmH2O is a useful unit of pressure in medical and scientific contexts, as it provides a precise measurement of small changes in pressure. However, it is important to note that water is a relatively dense substance and cmH2O may not be the most appropriate unit of pressure for all applications. In some cases, other units of pressure, such as mmHg or kPa, may be more suitable.