ARTERIAL BLOOD GASES
CHEAT SHEET
BEAUTIFUL NURSING LLC
Main Value Levels CAUSES OF ABNORMAL ABGs
Arterial blood pH: 7.35-7.45 Acidosis Alkalosis
PaCO2 (acidic): 35-45
HCO3 (basic): 21-28 Diarrhea Severe Asthma Vomiting Hyperventilation
DKA Lactic Acid ⬆️ NG Suctioning Bicarbonates
COPD Renal Failure Diuretics
Other Values
SaO2 (O2 sats): 95-100% PaCO2 ⬆️ : “body shutting down” with low HR/BP/RR, fatigue, coma
PaO2: 80-100 HCO3 ⬆️ : “body speeds up” with high HR/RR, tremors, irritability
Uncompensated, Partially or Fully Compensated?
Uncompensated: pH is ABNORMAL, PaCO2 OR HCO3 ABNORMAL
Fully Compensated: pH is NORMAL, PaCO2 AND HCO3 ABNORMAL
Partially Compensated: All three main value levels ABNORMAL
STEPS TO ANSWER AN ABG QUESTION MADE SIMPLE
Example: A patient comes in with the following ABG lab values: pH of 7.31, HCO3: 27, PaCO2 of 65.
What imbalance is the patient currently in?
Step 1: Write out the values across the paper like below:
PH: 7.31 HCO3: 27 PaCO2: 65
Step 2: Write arrows to indicate if they are acidic or basic. Remember HCO3 is bicarbonate (basic) and
PACO2 is carbon dioxide (acidic).
PH: 7.31 ⬇️ (acidic) HCO3: 27 NORMAL PaCO2: 65 ⬆️ (acidic)
Step 3: Match the abnormal arrows. If all three are abnormal, match the pH arrow to the HCO3/PaCO2
arrow.
PH: 7.31 ⬇️ (acidic) HCO3: 27 NORMAL PaCO2: 65 ⬆️ (acidic)
Step 4: If PaCO2 then RESPIRATORY, if HCO3 then METABOLIC.
The answer to this question is Respiratory Acidosis.
Step 5: Finally put whether it is uncompensated, partially or fully compensated (see criteria above):
The answer then would be Uncompensated Respiratory Acidosis.
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