4.3 mEq/L Potassium
What does this value indicate?
Normal Potassium Level
Normal Range: 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L
96 mEq/L Chloride
What does this value indicate?
Low Chloride Level
Normal Range: 98 to 106 mEq/L
7.37pH
What does this value indicate?
Normal pH balance
7.24 pH
What does this value indicate?
The blood is abnormally acidic.
8.5 mg/dL to 10.5 mg/dL
What range is this?
Normal Calcium Range
Kussmaul respirations Changes in LOC Disorientation Muscle twitching What acid-base imbalance is this?
Metabolic Acidosis
12 mEq/L Anions
What does this value indicate?
High anion
gap
Greater than
11 mEq/L
(11 mmol/L)
7.0 mg/dL Calcium
What does this value indicate?
Low Calcium Level
Normal Range: 8.5 mg/dL to 10.5 mg/dL
+1 mmol/L base access
What does this value indicate?
Normal Base Access
20 mEq/L HCO3-
What does this value indicate?
Decreased HCO3− indicates that the blood has too many metabolic acids.
High pH
Low CO2
What acid-base imbalance symptoms are these?
Respiratory Alkalosis
25 mEq/L HCO3-
What does this value indicate?
Normal HCO3-
75 mm/HG PaO2
What does this value indicate?
Values below normal indicate poor oxygenation of the blood.
Increase of any acid except HCl: Ketoacids (DKA, starvation, alcoholism), lactic acid (circulatory shock, extreme exercise), excessive normal metabolic acids (oliguric acute kidney injury, end-stage renal disease, severe hyperthyroidism, burns, severe infection), unusual organic acids (salicylate overdose, acids metabolized from methanol, ethylene glycol, paraldehyde)
This can cause what lab value abnormality?
High anion
gap
Greater than
11 mEq/L
(11 mmol/L)
Rapid, shallow respirations
Dyspnea
Muscle weakness
What acid-base imbalance symptoms are these?
Respiratory Acidosis
22-26 mEq/L (22-26 mmol/L)
What range is this?
HCO3-
Rationale:
HCO3-is concentration of the base (alkaline substance) bicarbonate, a measure of how well the kidneys are excreting metabolic acids.
+3 mmol/L base excess
What does this value indicate?
Values above +2 indicate excessive
amounts of bicarbonate.
Low pH
High CO2
What acid-base imbalance symptoms are these?
Respiratory Acidosis
−2 to +2 mmol/L
What is this range?
Base excess
Rationale: Base excess is observed buffering capacity minus the normal
buffering capacity, a measure
of how well the blood buffers are
managing metabolic acids.
7.56 pH
What does this value indicate?
The blood is abnormally alkaline.
32 mm/HG PaCO2
What does this value indicate?
What is this caused by?
Decreased PaCO2 indicates excessive CO2 excretion (less carbonic acid) through hyperventilation.
Slow respirations Restlessness Diarrhea Nausea & Vomiting Arrhythmias
What acid-base imbalance symptoms are these?
Metabolic Alkalosis
9.5 mg/dL Calcium
Normal Calcium Level
Normal Range: 8.5 mg/dL to 10.5 mg/dL
Excess output of bicarbonate: Diarrhea, pancreatic fistula, intestinal decompression, renal tubular acidosis Increase of chloride-containing acid: Parenteral HCl therapy
What causes this abnormal laboratory value?
Normal anion gap
49 mm/HG PaCO2
What does this value indicate?
What is this caused by?
Increased PaCO2 indicates CO2 accumulation in blood (more carbonic acid) caused by hypoventilation.
Thisvalue is influenced by pH, PaCO2, and body temperature. It drops rapidly when PaO2 falls below
60 mm Hg (8 kPa).
Oxygen Saturation
SaO2
8 mEq/L Anions
What does this value indicate?
Normal Anion Gap
29 mEq/L HCO3-
What does this value indicate?
Increased HCO3- indicates that the blood has too few metabolic acids.
98 to 106 mEq/L
What range is this?
Normal Chloride Range
95%-100%
What range is this?
SaO2
Rationale: SaO2 is oxygen saturation, the percentage of hemoglobin that is carrying as much O2 as possible.
5-11 mEq/L Anions
What range is this?
Normal anion gap
130 mEq/L Sodium
What does this value indicate?
Low Sodium Level
Normal Range: 135 to 145 mEq/L
80-100 mm/Hg (10.7-13.3 kPa)
What range is this?
PaO2
Rationale: PaO2 is partial pressure of oxygen (O2), a measure of how well gas exchange is occurring in the
alveoli of the lungs.
-3 mmol/L base excess
What does this value indicate?
Values below −2 (negative base excess)
indicate excessive metabolic acids.
135 to 145 mEq/L
What range is this?
Normal Sodium Range
Low PH
Low HCO3
What acid-base imbalance is this?
Metabolic Acidosis
102 mEq/L Chloride
What does this value indicate?
Normal Chloride Level
Normal Range: 98 to 106 mEq/L
155 mEq/L Sodium
What does this value indicate?
High Sodium Level
Normal Range: 135 to 145 mEq/L
97% SaO2
What does this value indicate?
Normal Oxygen Saturation
43 mm/HG PaCO2
What does this value indicate?
Normal PaCO2
5.4 mEq/L Potassium
What does this value indicate?
High Potassium Level
Normal Range: 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L
35-45 mm/Hg (4.7-6 kPa)
What range is this?
PaCO2
Rationale: PaCO2 is partial pressure of carbon dioxide (CO2), a measure of how well the lungs are excreting CO2
produced by cells.
108 mEq/L Chloride
What does this value indicate?
High Chloride Level
Normal Range: 98 to 106 mEq/L
140 mEq/L Sodium
What does this value indicate?
Normal Sodium Level
Normal Range: 135 to 145 mEq/L
7.35-7.45
What range is this?
pH
Rationale:
Small changes in pH denote large changes in H+ concentration and are clinically important.
pH is a negative logarithm of the free H+ concentration, a measure of how acid or alkaline the blood is.
7.37pH
What does this value indicate?
Normal pH balance
3.0 mEq/L Potassium
What does this value indicate?
Low Potassium Level
Normal Range: 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L
Deep rapid breathing
Seizures
Confusion
Tingling of Extremities
What acid-base imbalance symptoms are these?
Respiratory Alkalosis
90 mm/HG PaO2
What does this value indicate?
Normal PaO2
3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L
What range is this?
Normal Potassium Range
High PH
High HCO3
What acid-base imbalance symptoms are these?
Metabolic Alkalosis
17.5 mg/dL Calcium
What does this value indicate?
High Calcium Level
Normal Range: 8.5 mg/dL to 10.5 mg/dL
Inflate BP cuff on upper arm to 20 mm Hg above systolic pressure, carpal
spasms within 2–5 min indicate tetany in hypocalcemia. What is this sign to indicate tetany called?
Trousseau’s Sign
Tap facial nerve 2 cm anterior to the earlobe just below the zygomatic arch;
twitching of facial muscles indicates tetany in hypocalcemia. What is this sign to indicate tetany called?
Chvostek’s Sign
