Arterial blood gas interpretation worksheet with answers

Free printable Arterial blood gas interpretation worksheet: 6 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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1.Easy

Practice values: Na⁺ 142, K⁺ 3.7, Cl⁻ 102 and HCO₃⁻ 22 mmol/L. Calculate the anion gap AG = Na⁺ − (Cl⁻ + HCO₃⁻), without potassium.

Na⁺ 142 mmol/LK⁺ 3.7 mmol/LCl⁻ 102 mmol/LHCO₃⁻ 22 mmol/L
AG = mmol/L
2.Easy
pH7.357.457.17PaCO₂mmHg354568HCO₃⁻mmol/L222624respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.17, PaCO₂ 68 mmHg (9.1 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.17PaCO₂ 68 mmHg (9.1 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
3.Medium

Practice values: Na⁺ 142 mmol/L, glucose 21.6 mmol/L and urea 9.8 mmol/L. Calculate the serum osmolality Osm = 2·Na⁺ + glucose + urea to the nearest whole number.

Na⁺ 142 mmol/Lglucose 21.6 mmol/Lurea 9.8 mmol/L
Osm = mOsm/kg
4.Medium

A practice gas shows a metabolic acidosis with HCO₃⁻ 8 mmol/L. Use Winter’s formula to find the expected PaCO₂ (the centre of the range) in mmHg.

HCO₃⁻ 8 mmol/L
PaCO₂ = mmHg
5.Hard

Practice values: Na⁺ 145, Cl⁻ 113, HCO₃⁻ 21 mmol/L and albumin 31 g/L. Find the albumin-corrected anion gap AGc = AG + 0.25·(40 − albumin).

Na⁺ 145 mmol/LCl⁻ 113 mmol/LHCO₃⁻ 21 mmol/Lalbumin 31 g/L
AGc = mmol/L
6.Hard

Practice values: Na⁺ 142, Cl⁻ 113 and HCO₃⁻ 9 mmol/L. Calculate the delta ratio (AG − 12)/(24 − HCO₃⁻), using AG = Na⁺ − (Cl⁻ + HCO₃⁻). Give two decimals.

Na⁺ 142 mmol/LCl⁻ 113 mmol/LHCO₃⁻ 9 mmol/L
delta ratio =

Answer key

  1. 1. AG = 18 mmol/L
  2. 2. respiratory acidosis
  3. 3. Osm = 315 mOsm/kg
  4. 4. PaCO₂ = 20 mmHg
  5. 5. AGc = 13.25 mmol/L
  6. 6. delta ratio = 0.5333

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