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aaaaaaaaaaaaa BLOOD GAS AND ACID BASE ANALYSIS

1. Why is arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis superior to noninvasive estimates of

oxygenation and ventilation?
2. Pulse oximetry can readily and noninvasively estimate hemoglobin saturation (SpO2),
while blood gas analysis measures the partial pressure of oxygen (P02) within the blood.
as well as measuring hemoglobin saturation. Saturation > 95% may correlate with a wide
range of PO2 values. The ABG analysis also calculates the arterial pH, bicarbonate
(HCO3), and base excess, which further dene the patients condition.
2 What sre the normal ABG Values at sea level?
Normal ABG Values
SEA LEVEL (RANGE)

DENVER (ALT 5280 FT)

PH

7,40 (7,35-7,45 [2 SD)]

NC

PaCO2

40 mmHg (35-45 [ 2 SD])

34 -38 mmHg

PaO2

80-97 mmHg*

65- 75 mmHg

HCO3

24 mEq/L (22-26)

NC

SaO2

> 98%

92-94%

Base Excess

0 mEq/L (-3-+3)

NC

PaCo2 = arterial partial prcssurc of carbon dioxide; PaO2 = arterial partial pressure of
oxygen; Sao2

= arterial saturation with oxygen; NC = no change from sea-level

value.
*PaO2 varies with age and fractional concentration of oxygen in inspired gas (FiO2).
3. Define the henderson hasselbach equation
pH = 6,1 + log ( HCO3 -/),003 X PCO2 )
The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation describes the relationship between the plasma PH and
the ratio plasma PCO2 and HCO2 and HCO3. The equation really tells us that the primary
determinant of the plasma PH is the ratio of PCO2 to HCO3 and not the individual values
alone. for the example a change in the PCO2 may be accompanied by a change in the HCO3
such that the ratio of the two remains the same and the PH does not change.