Arterial Blood Gases Flashcards
What is SaO2?
Hemoglobin-bound O2 -> Saturation of arterial O2
How is the oxygen content of blood calculated?
CaO2 = (1.39 * Hgb * SaO2) + 0.003 * PaO2
Where PaO2 is the arterial oxygen tension, used to calculate dissolved arterial O2 (makes a much smaller contribution than hemoglobin)
Hgb is hemoglobin concentration
How can the partial pressure of O2 gas in an alveolus be predicted?
Alveolar gas equation
PAO2 = PiO2 - PaCO2 / R
PiO2 = inspired O2 partial pressure PaCO2 = arterial partial pressure of CO2 R = respiratory quotient
What is the respiratory quotient and its normal value?
rate of production of CO2 / consumption of oxygen
Normal value = 0.8, under normal dietary conditions
What is the typical PiO2?
(760 mmHg atmospheric at sea level - 47 mmHg H2O) * 21% O2
= 150 mmHg
What is PAO2 normally? PaCO2?
Around 100 mmHg, with PaCO2 normally at 40 mmHg
What is the normal A-a gradient and how does it change as you age?
About 10mmHg
Gradient increases about 2.5 mmHg per decade.
Equation:
PaO2 = 100 mmHg - (age in years/3)
I.e. if PAO2 = 100 mmHg, then 2 decades after age 20 (age 40), PaO2 = 85 mmHg expected.
60 years:
PaO2 = 100 - (60/3) = 80 mmHg
What does increased A-a O2 gradient imply?
Primary parenchymal lung disease
What relationship does the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve describe? Why is this important?
PaO2 and the SaO2
Important because poor ventilation can drop your PaO2, and make large differences in SaO2 depending on where you are on the dissociation curve.
What is the PaO2 which qualifies patients for home oxygen?
55mmHg -> corresponds to 88% on SaO2. Below this level, there is a rapid decrease in SaO2 with decreasing PaO2 (highly sloped portion of the curve)
What PaO2 marks the beginning of the plateau phase of the curve?
60 mmHg -> 90% SaO2. Increases in PaO2 will only result in small increases in SaO2.
What is the P50 on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve?
27 mmHg -> 50% saturation of SaO2
What does a rightward shift on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve indicate, and what changes in temperature, 2,3-BPG, PaCO2, and pH cause this?
Affinity of hemoglobin for O2 is decreased
Temperature -> increased
2,3-BPG -> increased
PaCO2 -> increased
pH -> decreased
All conditions which happen at high elevation / in muscles
What do alternative hemoglobins generally do to the oxyhemoglobin curve, and what is the exception?
Shift it to the left (i.e. fetal hemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, methemoglobin)
Exception: sickle cell disease
What does a leftward shift on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve indicate, and what changes in temperature, 2,3-BPG, PaCO2, and pH cause this?
Affinity of hemoglobin for O2 is increased
Temperature -> decreased
2,3-BPG -> decreased
PaCO2 -> decreased
pH -> increased
All conditions which happen at low elevation / in lungs