CMSRN Medical-Surgical Nursing

Category - Gastrointestinal

A client with a history of recurrent GI bleeding is admitted to the hospital for a gastrectomy. Following surgery, the client has a nasogastric tube to low continuous suction. He begins to hyperventilate. The nurse should be aware that this pattern will alter his arterial blood gases by:
  1. Increasing HCO3
  2. Decreasing PCO2
  3. Decreasing pH
  4. Decreasing PO2
Explanation
Answer - B - Decreasing PCO2. Hyperventilation results in the increased elimination of carbon dioxide from the blood that can lead to respiratory alkalosis.
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