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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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy
pH7.357.457.50PaCO₂mmHg354525HCO₃⁻mmol/L222619respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.50, PaCO₂ 25 mmHg (3.3 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.50PaCO₂ 25 mmHg (3.3 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
2.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
3.Medium

Practice values: Na⁺ 139 mmol/L, glucose 17.4 mmol/L and urea 7.5 mmol/L. Calculate the serum osmolality Osm = 2·Na⁺ + glucose + urea to the nearest whole number.

Na⁺ 139 mmol/Lglucose 17.4 mmol/Lurea 7.5 mmol/L
Osm = mOsm/kg
4.Medium
pH7.357.457.36PaCO₂mmHg354531HCO₃⁻mmol/L222617uncompensatedpartially compensatedfully compensated

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.36, PaCO₂ 31 mmHg (4.1 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 17 mmol/L. The primary disorder is metabolic acidosis. How far is it compensated? Click your answer.

pH 7.36PaCO₂ 31 mmHg (4.1 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 17 mmol/L
  1. 1uncompensated
  2. 2partially compensated
  3. 3fully compensated
5.Hard
pH7.357.457.15PaCO₂mmHg354545HCO₃⁻mmol/L222615appropriate compensationadded respiratory acidosisadded respiratory alkalosis

A practice gas shows a metabolic acidosis: pH 7.15, PaCO₂ 45 mmHg (6.0 kPa), HCO₃⁻ 15 mmol/L. Compare the measured PaCO₂ with Winter’s formula. Click your interpretation.

pH 7.15PaCO₂ 45 mmHg (6.0 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 15 mmol/L
  1. 1appropriate compensation
  2. 2added respiratory acidosis
  3. 3added respiratory alkalosis
6.Hard
pH7.357.457.21PaCO₂mmHg354570HCO₃⁻mmol/L222627acutechronicacute on chronic

A practice gas shows a respiratory acidosis: pH 7.21, PaCO₂ 70 mmHg (9.3 kPa), HCO₃⁻ 27 mmol/L. Use the rules ‘HCO₃⁻ rises 1 mmol/L per 10 mmHg (acute) or 3.5 mmol/L per 10 mmHg (chronic)’ to classify it. Click your answer.

pH 7.21PaCO₂ 70 mmHg (9.3 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 27 mmol/L
  1. 1acute
  2. 2chronic
  3. 3acute on chronic

Answer key

  1. 1. respiratory alkalosis
  2. 2. respiratory alkalosis
  3. 3. Osm = 303 mOsm/kg
  4. 4. fully compensated
  5. 5. added respiratory acidosis
  6. 6. acute

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