An emergency room patient has ABG values: pH 7.22, PaCO2 68 mm Hg, base excess -2, PaO2 78 mm Hg. Which diagnosis best fits these results?

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Multiple Choice

An emergency room patient has ABG values: pH 7.22, PaCO2 68 mm Hg, base excess -2, PaO2 78 mm Hg. Which diagnosis best fits these results?

A low pH with a markedly elevated PaCO2 shows that the primary problem is CO2 retention from hypoventilation, i.e., respiratory acidosis. The body’s acidemia is driven by the respiratory issue, rather than a primary loss of bicarbonate or an excessive gain of bicarbonate from metabolic processes. The base excess being near zero to mildly negative suggests little metabolic compensation at this moment, which is consistent with a predominantly respiratory disorder (acute or incomplete compensation). The other patterns would require a primary metabolic disturbance or a primary decrease in CO2, which isn’t supported by the elevated PaCO2 here.

An emergency room patient has ABG values: pH 7.22, PaCO2 68 mm Hg, base excess -2, PaO2 78 mm Hg. Which diagnosis best fits these results?

Prepare for the Chronic Illness Test. Study with interactive questions and detailed explanations. Be confident in your knowledge!

An emergency room patient has ABG values: pH 7.22, PaCO2 68 mm Hg, base excess -2, PaO2 78 mm Hg. Which diagnosis best fits these results?

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