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
pH7.357.457.59PaCO₂mmHg354526HCO₃⁻mmol/L222624respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.59, PaCO₂ 26 mmHg (3.5 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.59PaCO₂ 26 mmHg (3.5 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
2.Easy
pH7.357.457.62PaCO₂mmHg354540HCO₃⁻mmol/L222640respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.62, PaCO₂ 40 mmHg (5.3 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 40 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.62PaCO₂ 40 mmHg (5.3 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 40 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
3.Medium

A practice gas shows a metabolic acidosis with HCO₃⁻ 14 mmol/L. Use Winter’s formula to find the expected PaCO₂ (the centre of the range) in mmHg.

HCO₃⁻ 14 mmol/L
PaCO₂ = mmHg
4.Medium
pH7.357.457.20PaCO₂mmHg354537HCO₃⁻mmol/L222614uncompensatedpartially compensatedfully compensated

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.20, PaCO₂ 37 mmHg (4.9 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 14 mmol/L. The primary disorder is metabolic acidosis. How far is it compensated? Click your answer.

pH 7.20PaCO₂ 37 mmHg (4.9 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 14 mmol/L
  1. 1uncompensated
  2. 2partially compensated
  3. 3fully compensated
5.Hard

A practice gas shows a metabolic alkalosis with HCO₃⁻ 36 mmol/L. Use expected PaCO₂ = 0.7·HCO₃⁻ + 21 to find the expected PaCO₂.

HCO₃⁻ 36 mmol/L
PaCO₂ = mmHg
6.Hard

A practice gas shows a metabolic alkalosis with HCO₃⁻ 33 mmol/L. Use expected PaCO₂ = 0.7·HCO₃⁻ + 21 to find the expected PaCO₂.

HCO₃⁻ 33 mmol/L
PaCO₂ = mmHg

Answer key

  1. 1. respiratory alkalosis
  2. 2. metabolic alkalosis
  3. 3. PaCO₂ = 29 mmHg
  4. 4. uncompensated
  5. 5. PaCO₂ = 46.2 mmHg
  6. 6. PaCO₂ = 44.1 mmHg

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