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
pH7.357.457.54PaCO₂mmHg354529HCO₃⁻mmol/L222624respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.54, PaCO₂ 29 mmHg (3.9 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.54PaCO₂ 29 mmHg (3.9 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
2.Easy

A practice blood gas shows PaO₂ 100 mmHg (13.3 kPa) while the inspired oxygen is 80%. Calculate the ratio P/F = PaO₂/FiO₂ in mmHg.

PaO₂ 100 mmHg (13.3 kPa)FiO₂ 80%
P/F = mmHg
3.Medium
pH7.357.457.21PaCO₂mmHg354541HCO₃⁻mmol/L222616uncompensatedpartially compensatedfully compensated

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.21, PaCO₂ 41 mmHg (5.5 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 16 mmol/L. The primary disorder is metabolic acidosis. How far is it compensated? Click your answer.

pH 7.21PaCO₂ 41 mmHg (5.5 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 16 mmol/L
  1. 1uncompensated
  2. 2partially compensated
  3. 3fully compensated
4.Medium

A practice gas shows PaCO₂ 52 mmHg (6.9 kPa). Use the rule that in chronic respiratory acidosis HCO₃⁻ rises by 3.5 mmol/L for every 10 mmHg that PaCO₂ is above 40, starting from HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L, to find the expected HCO₃⁻.

PaCO₂ 52 mmHg (6.9 kPa)baseline: 40 mmHg, 24 mmol/L
HCO₃⁻ = mmol/L
5.Hard

Practice values: Na⁺ 134, Cl⁻ 98, HCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/L and albumin 38 g/L. Find the albumin-corrected anion gap AGc = AG + 0.25·(40 − albumin).

Na⁺ 134 mmol/LCl⁻ 98 mmol/LHCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/Lalbumin 38 g/L
AGc = mmol/L
6.Hard

A practice gas shows a metabolic alkalosis with HCO₃⁻ 39 mmol/L. Use expected PaCO₂ = 0.7·HCO₃⁻ + 21 to find the expected PaCO₂.

HCO₃⁻ 39 mmol/L
PaCO₂ = mmHg

Answer key

  1. 1. respiratory alkalosis
  2. 2. P/F = 125 mmHg
  3. 3. uncompensated
  4. 4. HCO₃⁻ = 28.2 mmol/L
  5. 5. AGc = 17.5 mmol/L
  6. 6. PaCO₂ = 48.3 mmHg

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