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
pH7.357.457.31PaCO₂mmHg354539HCO₃⁻mmol/L222619respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.31, PaCO₂ 39 mmHg (5.2 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.31PaCO₂ 39 mmHg (5.2 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
2.Easy
pH7.357.457.11PaCO₂mmHg354579HCO₃⁻mmol/L222624respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.11, PaCO₂ 79 mmHg (10.5 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.11PaCO₂ 79 mmHg (10.5 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
3.Medium
pH7.357.457.47PaCO₂mmHg354527HCO₃⁻mmol/L222619uncompensatedpartially compensatedfully compensated

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.47, PaCO₂ 27 mmHg (3.6 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/L. The primary disorder is respiratory alkalosis. How far is it compensated? Click your answer.

pH 7.47PaCO₂ 27 mmHg (3.6 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 19 mmol/L
  1. 1uncompensated
  2. 2partially compensated
  3. 3fully compensated
4.Medium

A practice gas shows PaCO₂ 69 mmHg (9.2 kPa). Use the rule that in acute respiratory acidosis HCO₃⁻ rises by 1 mmol/L for every 10 mmHg that PaCO₂ is above 40, starting from HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L, to find the expected HCO₃⁻.

PaCO₂ 69 mmHg (9.2 kPa)baseline: 40 mmHg, 24 mmol/L
HCO₃⁻ = mmol/L
5.Hard

At sea level, a practice gas taken on 35% oxygen shows PaO₂ 79 mmHg (10.5 kPa) and PaCO₂ 39 mmHg (5.2 kPa). Use PAO₂ = FiO₂·(760 − 47) − PaCO₂/0.8 to find the A–a gradient.

FiO₂ 35%PaO₂ 79 mmHg (10.5 kPa)PaCO₂ 39 mmHg (5.2 kPa)
A–a gradient = mmHg
6.Hard
pH7.357.457.21PaCO₂mmHg354544HCO₃⁻mmol/L222617appropriate compensationadded respiratory acidosisadded respiratory alkalosis

A practice gas shows a metabolic acidosis: pH 7.21, PaCO₂ 44 mmHg (5.9 kPa), HCO₃⁻ 17 mmol/L. Compare the measured PaCO₂ with Winter’s formula. Click your interpretation.

pH 7.21PaCO₂ 44 mmHg (5.9 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 17 mmol/L
  1. 1appropriate compensation
  2. 2added respiratory acidosis
  3. 3added respiratory alkalosis

Answer key

  1. 1. metabolic acidosis
  2. 2. respiratory acidosis
  3. 3. partially compensated
  4. 4. HCO₃⁻ = 26.9 mmol/L
  5. 5. A–a gradient = 121.8 mmHg
  6. 6. added respiratory acidosis

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