ABGs

Question 1

Where do you do take an ABG?

Answer 1

Radial artery

Question 2

What do you have to tell the machine in addition to the blood?

Answer 2

Oxygen

Question 3

What does an ABG give you?

Answer 3

pH
PaO2
PaCO2
HCO3
Base excess

Potassium
Lactate
Ca
Hb

Question 4

What’s the normal pH of blood?

Answer 4

7.35-7.45

Question 5

What is the normal PaO2?

Answer 5

10-14

Question 6

If someone is on oxygen, what is the normal range?

Answer 6

10 minus the percentage of oxygen they’re on

Question 7

What exactly is PaO2?

Answer 7

The percentage of oxygen in the blood (can be dissolved, no necessarily in the RBC).

Question 8

What is the normal range for PaCO2?

Answer 8

4.5-6

Question 9

What’s the normal HCO3 range?

Answer 9

22-26

Question 10

What’s the normal base excess?

Answer 10

-2 to +2

Question 11

What’s the normal Hb level?

Answer 11

120+

Question 12

What’s the normal lactate level?

Answer 12

Less than 2

Question 13

What’s the first thing you look for on an ABG?

Answer 13

Is it acidotic or alkalotic (look at pH)

Question 14

Which value crudely tells you whether the acidosis/alkalosis is METABOLIC?

Answer 14

HCO3

Question 15

Which value crudely tells you whether the acidosis/alkalosis is RESPIRATORY?

Answer 15

PaCO2

Question 16

What does CO2 do in water?

Answer 16

Becomes Carbonic acid (H2Co3) which can split into H+ ions an HCO3-

Question 17

What is partially compensated respiratory acidemia?

Answer 17

When the kidneys

Question 18

What happens in fully compensated acidemia?

Answer 18

The pH levels seems normal, but either of the PaCO2 level or HCO3 level is higher

Question 19

If paO2 AND paCO2 are low?

Answer 19

Type 1 respiratory low

Question 20

If paO2 is low but PaCO2 is normal or high?

Answer 20

Type 2 respiratory failure

Question 21

What causes type 1 respiratory failure?

Answer 21

PE
Pneumonia
Pulmonary fibrosis 
Asthma
Pulmonary oedema 
Pneumothorax

Question 22

Signs/symptoms of pulmonary oedema

Answer 22

Frothy pink sputum with cough

Better when sitting up

Question 23

Signs/symptoms of pneumothorax

Answer 23

Gasping and breathless
Reduced chest expansion
Deviated trachea

Question 24

What is severe atelectasis?

Answer 24

Lobar collapse of lung (collapsing of the alveoli)

Question 25

Causes of type 2 respiratory failure

Answer 25

Reduced respiratory drive COPD Opiod overdose

Question 26

Why must you be careful with giving oxygen for someone with COPD?

Answer 26

Their brain is so used to being underperfused, that if they get more oxygen, their brain will think they're getting sufficient oxygen that it will think it won't need to breathe as much, so their resp drive goes down, so they retain co2, hence they go into type 2 respiratory failure

Question 27

What are the ways in which to give oxygen?

Answer 27

Nasal canula Venturi mask Non rebreathe ask CPAP/BiPAP

Question 28

What levels go n the same direction on an ABG if there is compensation?

Answer 28

HCO3 goes down if PaCO2 goes down to compensate, and in the opposite direction if it goes high

Question 29

What levels go in the same direction on an ABG if there is compensation?

Answer 29

HCO3 goes down if PaCO2 goes down to compensate, and in the opposite direction if it goes high