Practice Quiz

CEN Practice Exam (Certified Emergency Nurse)

Category - Respiratory

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You have drawn an arterial blood gas on your patient. In reviewing the results you note the following: pH 7.45, PCO2 of 30 mm Hg, and bicarbonate of 22mEq/L. What do you interpret these results to mean?
  1. Metabolic acidosis, compensated
  2. Metabolic alkalosis, compensated
  3. Respiratory acidosis, compensated
  4. Respiratory alkalosis, compensated
Explanation
Answer: D - The arterial blood gas results are indicative of respiratory alkalosis, compensated. In a respiratory condition, pH and PCO2 will display opposite effects. In this instance the patient’s pH is at the high end of normal, and PCO2 is low. Compensation occurs when the pH is starting to return to normal, while the PCO2 remains low.
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