ABG

Question 1

what the main purpose of ABG?

Answer 1

most accurate way to measure oxygen concentration and acid-base balance in the blood.

Question 2

How do you interpret ABG?

Answer 2

1. look at pH, is it alkaline or acidemia?
2. Is it respiratory or metabolic disturbance. Respiratory; pH and PaCO2 change in opposite direction. Metabolic; pH and PaCO2 change in the same direction.
3. analyze HCO2 and PaO2
4. Is there a compensatory mechanism for the disturbance?

Question 3

what is the common cause of metabolic acidosis?

Answer 3

1. Increase acid production (salicylate toxicity, DKA, starvation, alcoholism, Lactic acid)
2. Decrease acid excretion due to renal failure
3. Bicarbonate loss (diarrhea, ileostomy, drainage, intestinal fistula, biliary or pancreatic fistula)
4. increase chloride (sodium chloride IV solution, renal tubular acidosis, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors)

Question 4

what medication is use to treat sever metabolic acidosis

Answer 4

sodium bicarbonate-directly raise the pH of the fluid.