ABG Practice

Respiratory Metabolic
pH PaCO2 HCO3 Interpretation
1 7.51 28 22
2 7.32 50.0 24
3 7.34 44 18.2
4 7.48 35 32
5 7.27 69.3 24.0
6 7.07 11.4 3.1
7 7.42 39.0 25.4

pH (Acid) 7.35-7.45 (Alkalosis)

PaCO2 (Alkalosis) 35-45 (Acid)
HCO3 (Acid) 22-26 (Alkalosis)

1. Mr. Frank is a 60-year-old with pneumonia. He is admitted with dyspnea, fever, and chills.
His blood gases are pH 7.28 PaCO2 56 PO2 70 HCO3 25 SaO2 89%

What is your interpretation?

What interventions would be appropriate for Mr. Frank?

2. Mr. Karl is an 80-year-old nursing home resident admitted with urosepsis. Over the last two
hours he has developed shortness of breath and is becoming confused. His ABG shows the
following results: pH 7.02 PaCO2 55 pO2 77 HCO3 14 SaO2 89%

What is your interpretation?

What interventions would be appropriate for Mr. Karl?

3. Ms. Steele is a 17-year-old with intractable vomiting. She has some electrolyte
abnormalities, so a blood gas is obtained to assess her acid/base balance. pH 7.50 PaCO2
36 pO2 92 HCO3 27 SaO2 97%

What is your interpretation?

What interventions would be appropriate for Ms. Steele?

1
4. Mrs. Dobins is found pulseless and not breathing this morning. After a couple minutes of
CPR, she responds with a pulse and starts breathing on her own. A blood gas is obtained:
pH 6.89 PaCO2 70 pO2 42 HCO3 13 SaO2 50%

What is your interpretation?

What interventions would be appropriate for Mrs. Dobins?

5. Mr. Simmons is in respiratory distress. He has a history of Type-I diabetes mellitus and is
now febrile. His ABG shows pH 7.00 PaCO2 59 pO2 86 HCO3 14 SaO2 91%

What is your interpretation?

What interventions would be appropriate for Mr. Simmons?