ABG Interpretation

Practice Worksheet
1. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.35
b. CO2 : 40
c. HCO3- : 23

Answer: __________________________________________________
2. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.23
b. CO2 : 67
c. HCO3- : 28

Answer: __________________________________________________
3. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.37
b. CO2 : 80
c. HCO3- : 42

Answer: __________________________________________________
4. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.58
b. CO2 : 38
c. HCO3- : 38

Answer: __________________________________________________
5. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.43
b. CO2 : 51
c. HCO3- : 42

Answer: __________________________________________________

1 - ABG Interpretation Practice Worksheet

 6. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.62
b. CO2 : 14
c. HCO3- : 18

Answer: __________________________________________________
7. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.32
b. CO2 : 30
c. HCO3- : 20

Answer: __________________________________________________
8. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.42
b. CO2 : 27
c. HCO3- : 18

Answer: __________________________________________________
9. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.37
b. CO2 : 32
c. HCO3- : 12

Answer: __________________________________________________
10. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct
interpretation:
a. pH : 7.20
b. CO2 : 70
c. HCO3- : 22

Answer: __________________________________________________

2 - ABG Interpretation Practice Worksheet

 ABG Interpretation
Practice Worksheet - Answer Key & Explanations

1. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.35
b. CO2 : 40
c. HCO3- : 23

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.35-7.45 = Compensated

Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → CO2 = Normal, HCO3- = Normal
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → Normal.

Answer: Normal

2. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.23
b. CO2 : 67
c. HCO3- : 28

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.23 < 7.35 → uncompensated

Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → 7.23 < 7.35 → acidosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → CO2 is an acid. 67 > 45. Too much CO2 = too much acid = Respiratory.

Answer: Uncompensated Respiratory Acidosis

3. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.37
b. CO2 : 80
c. HCO3- : 42

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.37 is <7.45 and > 7.35 → Compensated
Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? →7.37 <7.4; closer to acidosis → Acidosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → CO2 is an acid. 80 > 45. Too much CO2 = too much acid = Respiratory.

Answer: Compensated Respiratory Acidosis

4. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.58
b. CO2 : 38
c. HCO3- : 38

3 - ABG Interpretation Practice Worksheet

 Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.58 > 7.45 → Uncompensated
Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? →7.58 > 7.45 → Alkalosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → HCO3 - > 26; HCO3- is a base → To much HCO3- = too much base = Alkalotic
HCO3- comes from the kidneys. Too much HCO3- → Metabolic

Answer: Uncompensated Metabolic Alkalosis

5. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.43
b. CO2 : 51

c. HCO3- : 42

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.43 is <7.45 and > 7.35 → Compensated
Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → 7.43 > 7.4 → Closer to alkalosis → Alkalosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → HCO3- >26 → To much HCO3- = too much base = Metabolic

Answer: Compensated Metabolic Alkalosis

6. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.62
b. CO2 : 14
c. HCO3- : 18

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.62 > 7.45 → Uncompensated

Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → 7.62 > 7.45 → Alkalosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → CO2 < 35 → not enough acid → alkalosis → Respiratory
** The HCO3- (a base) is also low. The kidneys are reducing how much bicarb
they make to begin compensating for the alkalosis. If they make less base,
our pH will come down.

Answer: Uncompensated Respiratory Alkalosis

7. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.32
b. CO2 : 30
c. HCO3- : 20

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.32 < 7.35 → Uncompensated

Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → 7.32 < 7.35 → Acidosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → HCO3- < 22 → not enough base → acidosis → Metabolic
** The CO2 (an acid) is also low. The lungs are blowing off CO2 to begin to
compensate for the acidosis. If they get rid of more acid, our pH will come up.

Answer: Uncompensated Metabolic Acidosis

4 - ABG Interpretation Practice Worksheet

 8. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.42
b. CO2 : 27
c. HCO3- : 18

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.42 is <7.45 and > 7.35 → Compensated
Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → 7.42 > 7.4 → closer to alkalosis → alkalosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → CO2 < 35 → not enough acid → alkalosis → Respiratory
** The HCO3- (a base) is also low. The kidneys have reduced how much
bicarb they make to compensate for the alkalosis. Since they made less base,
our pH came down and the pH is now compensated.

Answer: Compensated Respiratory Alkalosis

9. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.37
b. CO2 : 32
c. HCO3- : 12

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.37 is <7.45 and > 7.35 → Compensated
Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → 7.37 < 7.4 → Closer to acidosis → Acidosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → HCO3- < 22 → not enough base → acidosis → Metabolic
** The CO2 (an acid) is also low. The lungs have blown off CO2 to compensate for the
acidosis. They got rid of acid, and our pH will come up.

Answer: Compensated Metabolic Acidosis

10. A patient presents with the following ABG results. What is the correct interpretation:
a. pH : 7.20
b. CO2 : 70
c. HCO3- : 22

Step #1: Compensated or uncompensated? → 7.20 < 7.35 → uncompensated

Step #2: Acidosis or alkalosis? → 7.20 < 7.35 → acidosis
Step #3: Metabolic or respiratory? → CO2 is an acid. 70 > 45. Too much CO2 = too much acid = Respiratory.
***The HCO3- is normal because the body has not yet started compensating for
the respiratory acidosis. It takes the kidneys hours to days to begin producing
bicarbonate to compensate.

Answer: Uncompensated Respiratory Acidosis

5 - ABG Interpretation Practice Worksheet