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
pH7.357.457.62PaCO₂mmHg354520HCO₃⁻mmol/L222620respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.62, PaCO₂ 20 mmHg (2.7 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 20 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.62PaCO₂ 20 mmHg (2.7 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 20 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
2.Easy
pH7.357.457.20PaCO₂mmHg354563HCO₃⁻mmol/L222624respiratorymetabolicacidosisalkalosis

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.20, PaCO₂ 63 mmHg (8.4 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L. Which primary disorder is it? Click the cell in the grid.

pH 7.20PaCO₂ 63 mmHg (8.4 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 24 mmol/L
  1. 1respiratory acidosis
  2. 2metabolic acidosis
  3. 3respiratory alkalosis
  4. 4metabolic alkalosis
3.Medium

Practice values: Na⁺ 149 mmol/L, glucose 23.3 mmol/L and urea 24.3 mmol/L. Calculate the serum osmolality Osm = 2·Na⁺ + glucose + urea to the nearest whole number.

Na⁺ 149 mmol/Lglucose 23.3 mmol/Lurea 24.3 mmol/L
Osm = mOsm/kg
4.Medium
pH7.357.457.13PaCO₂mmHg354540HCO₃⁻mmol/L222613uncompensatedpartially compensatedfully compensated

A practice arterial blood gas shows pH 7.13, PaCO₂ 40 mmHg (5.3 kPa) and HCO₃⁻ 13 mmol/L. The primary disorder is metabolic acidosis. How far is it compensated? Click your answer.

pH 7.13PaCO₂ 40 mmHg (5.3 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 13 mmol/L
  1. 1uncompensated
  2. 2partially compensated
  3. 3fully compensated
5.Hard

At sea level, a practice gas taken on 35% oxygen shows PaO₂ 92 mmHg (12.3 kPa) and PaCO₂ 32 mmHg (4.3 kPa). Use PAO₂ = FiO₂·(760 − 47) − PaCO₂/0.8 to find the A–a gradient.

FiO₂ 35%PaO₂ 92 mmHg (12.3 kPa)PaCO₂ 32 mmHg (4.3 kPa)
A–a gradient = mmHg
6.Hard
pH7.357.457.18PaCO₂mmHg354578HCO₃⁻mmol/L222628acutechronicacute on chronic

A practice gas shows a respiratory acidosis: pH 7.18, PaCO₂ 78 mmHg (10.4 kPa), HCO₃⁻ 28 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 7.18PaCO₂ 78 mmHg (10.4 kPa)HCO₃⁻ 28 mmol/L
  1. 1acute
  2. 2chronic
  3. 3acute on chronic

Answer key

  1. 1. respiratory alkalosis
  2. 2. respiratory acidosis
  3. 3. Osm = 346 mOsm/kg
  4. 4. uncompensated
  5. 5. A–a gradient = 117.5 mmHg
  6. 6. acute

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