3. OBJECTIVES
3
Background of acid base disturbances
Terminology used in acid base disturbances
Arterial blood sampling procedure
Interpretation of Arterial blood gas report
5. INDICATIONS
5
To assess the
adequacy of
ventilation and
oxygenation
Establish the
diagnosis and severity
of respiratory failure
To guide therapy for
oxygen
administration
To assess the changes in
acid-base homeostasis
and guide treatment
To manage patients in
ICUs
To monitor patients
during cardiopulmonary
surgery
Determine
prognosis in
critically ill
patients
6. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS DURING
ARTERIAL BLOOD SAMPLING
6
Before withdrawing a sample, kindly ensure that the patient is
in a steady state of oxygenation
It takes about 3 minutes for patients with healthy lungs and 20
minutes in COPD lungs to reach a steady state after any alteration of
ventilator parameters or the FiO2 has been done
General rule- atleast 30 minutes should be allowed for the patient to
achieve a steady state before any sample is withdrawn for ABG
7. Allen’s test for checking collateral blood flow to
hand
Excess heparin- causes a drop in PaCO2
Air bubble in the sample or leaving the sample
exposed open to air should be prevented
Avoid delay in running the sample (If not placed
in ice box)- PaO2 decreases very fast
21. HOW TO KNOW WHETHER THE SAMPLE
IS ARTERIAL, VENOUS OR MIXED?
21
Arterial Venous
Ask the person Blood pulsates into the syringe
Syringe plunger may rise on its own
Does not
PO2 and O2 saturation PO2 value of >40mmHg or
O2 saturation >75% -most likely not
a venous sample
Very low
Peripheral venous PO2 is always
<40mmHg, O2 Saturation <75%
pH Abnormal or normal, Not diagnostic Abnormal or normal, Not diagnostic
PCO2 Abnormal or normal, Not diagnostic Abnormal or normal, Not diagnostic
Multiple attempts Lower PO2 due to its venous
mixture
-
Venous admixture Lower PO2. The values depend upon
venous admixture
22. 22
Sometimes there is no way to
know whether the blood sample
is arterial or venous?
23. PARAMETERS IN A BLOOD GAS REPORT
• FiO2 [ Fractional concentration of O2 in inspired air ]
• PaO2 [ Partial pressure of O2 in arterial blood ]
• PaCO2 [ Partial pressure of CO2 in arterial blood ]
• pH [ Measure of hydrogen ion concentration of a solution ]
• SaO2 [ Oxygen saturation of Hemoglobin in arterial blood ]
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24. HCO3 A (Actual)
Parameter for non-respiratory component of acid-base balance
HCO3 S (Standard)
Reported after standardizing at PCO2 of 40mmHg, Temperature 37˚C, SO2 100%
Base Excess
HCO3 amount above or below normal content (0) of buffer base, (+) or (-)
Depends upon entered Hb value, measured pH and PCO2 values
A-a DO2
Difference between PO2 Alveolar and PO2 arterial
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25. TERMINOLOGY
• Acidemia :
Blood pH <7.35
• Acidosis:
A primary physiological process that occuring alone, tends to cause acidemia
• Alkalemia:
Blood pH >7.45
• Alkalosis:
A primary physiological process that occuring alone, tends to cause alkalemia
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29. COMPENSATION
enal compenstation for respiratory imbalances is slow and incomplete
29
Secondary changes in HCO3 or PaCO2
occuring in response to the primary event to
normalize pH when the acid-base imbalance
exists over a period of time
The compensation is done by the organ system
which is not primarily affected.
Respiratory compensation for metabolic
problems is usually rapid and almost complete
Renal compensation for respiratory
imbalances is slow and incomplete
30. 30
Primary disorder First Change Effect Compensation
Respiratory acidosis PaCO2 rises pH decreases Secondary retention
of HCO3 by kidneys
(Slow & incomplete)
Respiratory alkalosis PaCO2 falls pH increases Secondary
increased excretion
of HCO3 by kidneys
Metabolic acidosis HCO3 falls pH decreases Secondary
hyperventilation by
lungs to lower
PaCO2 ( Rapid &
almost complete)
Metabolic alkalosis HCO3 rises pH increases Secondary
hypoventilation by
lungs to raise
PaCO2
32. STEP 1
32
Check if the required parameters have been
correctly fed in ABG machine
33. P
at Patient’s temperature, hemoglobin, FiO2 and barometric pressure ient’s
temperature, hemoglobin, FiO2 and barometric pressure
T The results in ABG report are bound to change ( incorrect and misleading) if
the above values are not correctly filled
he results in ABG report are bound to change ( incorrect and misleading) if the
above values are not correctly filled
33
35. Look at PaO2, SaO2 values and the FiO2 which the patient is receiving
PaO2 = 109-0.43 × age
Relate PaO2 values with FiO2 which the patient is receiving
Value of PaO2 can be predicted by multiplying inspired % of O2 with 5 in
otherwise healthy lungs or with 3 in patients of COPD
35
36. CLASSIFY HYPOXEMIA
Uncorrected hypoxemia
Patient is receiving O2 but PaO2 is < 60mmHg
Corrected hypoxemia
PaO2 has risen to >60mmHg but is < 100mmHg
Excessively corrected hypoxemia
PaO2 rises to > 100mmHg but is surely less than predicted value
37. TOTAL OXYGEN CONTENT
• Gives the true assessment of adequacy of oxygenation and hypoxemia in all clinical
situations
• Especially in conditions where PaO2 or SaO2 found to inaccurate
Anemia
MetHb
CO poisoning
• Normal value: 16-22ml/dl
CaO2= Hb (gm%) × 1.34 × SaO2+0.003× PaO2 (mmHg)
41. 41
Respiratory Metabolic
Analyse pH and PCO2 in relation to
normal values
Moving in opposite direction-
disorder is respiratory
Moving in same direction- disorder is
not respiratory ( ? Metabolic)
Analyse pH and HCO3 in relation to
normal values
Moving in same direction- disorder is
metabolic
Moves in opposite direction- primary
disorder is not metabolic (?
Respiratory)
44. Lungs and kidneys are primary buffer response systems
If pH is found to be outside the normal range- no compensation or partial
pH in normal range- full compensation or no acid base balance
If the primary disturbance is respiratory, then there will be increase or decrease
in HCO3 to compensate for the alterations in the PaCO2 and vice versa
44
45. STEP 6
45
Calculate the actual compensation seen in
the report and match it with the expected
46. 46
Disorder Event Compensation
Respiratory acidosis Acute 10mmHg rise in PaCO2
Chronic 10mmHg rise in PaCO2
1mEq/L rise in HCO3 levels
4mEq/L rise in HCO3 levels
Respiratory alkalosis Acute 10mmHg fall in PaCO2
Chronic 10mmHg fall in PaCO2
2mEq/L fall in HCO3 levels
4mEq/L fall in HCO3 levels
Metabolic acidosis 1mEq/L decrease in HCO3 1.25mmHg decrease in PaCO2
Metabolic alkalosis 1mEq/L increase in HCO3 0.75mmHg increase in PaCO2
48. TWO METHODS
Check the relative movement of pH in relation to both PaCO2 and HCO3. If both
the pairs are moving and in correct direction, it is a mixed disorder
Analyse compensation by assuming the primary disorder as respiratory or
metabolic. If the analysis shows no compensation, it is a mixed disorder
48
50. Serum electrolyte reports ( Na, K, Cl and HCO3) to unmask hidden disorders
Three parameters need to be determined
1. Anion gap (AG)
2. Bicarbonate gap (BG)
3. Venous CO2 and its change from normal
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51. ANION GAP
It is the difference of all the routinely measured cations & anions in the blood
AG = ( Na + K)- (Cl + HCO3). Usually K is omitted due to small numerical value
Normal value: 12 ± 4 mEq/L
∆ AG= Measured AG- 12 ( Normal expected AG)
Elevated AG above 16 implies anion gap metabolic acidosis is present
55. SUMMARY
55
pH is depressed Acidosis
If CO2 is elevated, there is a respiratory component to the acidosis
(But it could also include a metabolic component)
If CO2 is not elevated, the only possible explanation is the presence of a
metabolic acidosis ( Bicarbonate must be reduced)
If the CO2 is elevated and the bicarbonate is decreased, it is a combined
respiratory and metabolic acidosis
56. pH is elevated
56
Alkalosis
If CO2 is depressed, there is a respiratory component to the alkalosis
(But it could also include a metabolic component)
If CO2 is not depressed, the only possible explanation is the presence of a
metabolic alkalosis ( Bicarbonate must be elevated)
If the CO2 is depressed and the bicarbonate is elevated, it is a combined
respiratory and metabolic alkalosis
57. L LISTEN not to contradict or confute
nor to believe and take for granted
but to WEIGH AND CONSIDER
THANK YOU
57