Practice Quiz

CCRN Nursing Exam Prep - Adult Critical Care

Category - Respiratory

Start a Study Session Sign up for Question of the Day
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: C - The arterial blood gas results are indicative of respiratory acidosis, 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.
Previous Next
Was this helpful? Upvote!
Login to contribute your own answer or details
Start a Study Session Sign up for Question of the Day

Top questions

Related questions

Most popular on PracticeQuiz