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
pH7.357.457.27PaCO₂mmHg354565HCO₃⁻mmol/L222629respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.27, PaCO₂ 65 mmHg (8.7 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 29 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.27PaCO₂ 65 mmHg (8.7 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 29 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
2.Easy
pH7.357.457.48PaCO₂mmHg354543HCO₃⁻mmol/L222631respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.48, PaCO₂ 43 mmHg (5.7 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 31 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.48PaCO₂ 43 mmHg (5.7 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 31 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
3.Medium
pH7.357.457.17PaCO₂mmHg354568HCO₃⁻mmol/L222624uncompensatedpartially compensatedfully compensated

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.17, PaCO₂ 68 mmHg (9.1 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L. The primary disorder is respiratory acidosis. How far is it compensated? Click your answer.

pH 7.17PaCO₂ 68 mmHg (9.1 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L
  1. 1uncompensated
  2. 2partially compensated
  3. 3fully compensated
4.Medium

A practice gas shows a metabolic acidosis with HCO₃⁻ 12 mmol/L. Use Winter’s formula to find the expected PaCO₂ (the centre of the range) in mmHg.

HCO₃⁻ 12 mmol/L
PaCO₂ = mmHg
5.Hard
pH7.357.457.22PaCO₂mmHg354520HCO₃⁻mmol/L22268added normal-gap acidosispure high-gap acidosisadded metabolic alkalosis

A practice gas shows pH 7.22, PaCO₂ 20 mmHg (2.7 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 8 mmol/L, with Na⁺ 145 and Cl⁻ 98 mmol/L. Use the anion gap and the delta ratio to click the best interpretation.

pH 7.22PaCO₂ 20 mmHg (2.7 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 8 mmol/LNa⁺ 145 mmol/LCl⁻ 98 mmol/L
  1. 1added normal-gap acidosis
  2. 2pure high-gap acidosis
  3. 3added metabolic alkalosis
6.Hard
pH7.357.457.31PaCO₂mmHg354531HCO₃⁻mmol/L222615added normal-gap acidosispure high-gap acidosisadded metabolic alkalosis

A practice gas shows pH 7.31, PaCO₂ 31 mmHg (4.1 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 15 mmol/L, with Na⁺ 145 and Cl⁻ 104 mmol/L. Use the anion gap and the delta ratio to click the best interpretation.

pH 7.31PaCO₂ 31 mmHg (4.1 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 15 mmol/LNa⁺ 145 mmol/LCl⁻ 104 mmol/L
  1. 1added normal-gap acidosis
  2. 2pure high-gap acidosis
  3. 3added metabolic alkalosis

Answer key

  1. 1. respiratory acidosis
  2. 2. metabolic alkalosis
  3. 3. uncompensated
  4. 4. PaCO₂ = 26 mmHg
  5. 5. pure high-gap acidosis
  6. 6. pure high-gap acidosis

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