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1. Nafeesa Dhalwani
RN (Illinois,USA), BScN.
Nursing Supervisor, South City Hospital

2.  pH: 7.25
 pCO2: 32 mmHg
 pO2: 55 mmHg
 HCO3: 10 mEq/L
 BE: -15 mEq/L
Interpret these findings!

3.  List the purposes of an ABG
 Verbalize the correct technique to draw ABGs
 Interpret the ABG results

5.  A diagnostic test which uses a sample of blood
obtained from an arterial puncture
 Helps to assess the effectiveness of breathing and
overall acid-base balance
 Best indicator of the oxygenation status
 Guides treatment plan
 Indicates if the ventilatory management is
successful or not

7.  Site
 Allen’s test
 Asepsis
 Heparin
 Technique
 Air bubbles
 Ice
 Pressure
 Precautions

8. pH 7.35-7.45
PCo2 35-45 mmHg
HCO3 22-26 mmHg
PO2 80-100 mm Hg
Sa02/SO2 95-100 %

9. Check the pH
Watch the PCO2 & HCO3
Respiratory or metabolic?
Check the PaO2
Compensated or uncompensated??

10. Acidosis< >Alkalosis
7.35-7.45

11. PCO2
 Check if the PCO2 levels
are within the normal
range (35-45 mmHg)
 See if its high or low and
label it!
HCO3
 Check if the HCO3 levels
are within normal range (
22-26 mmHg)
 See if its high or low and
label it!

12.  Assess the PCo2 level
 If the pH and PCO2 are
both acidotic/alkalotic
and moving in the
opposite direction i.e.
PCO2 decreases with
an increase in pH or
increases with the
decrease in pH, the
primary disorder is
respiratory

13.  If the pH and HCO3 are
moving in the same
direction i.e. HCO3 is
increasing with the
increase in pH or
decreasing with a
decrease in pH then
the disorder is
metabolic in origin

14.  Respiratory
 Opposite
 Metabolic
 Equal

15. Respiratory
acidosis
pH PaCo2 HC03
normal
Respiratory
Alkalosis
normal
Metabolic
Acidosis
normal
Metabolic
Alkalosis
normal

16.  Arterial PaO2 – 80 -100
 Venous PaO2 – 40
 Pao2 < 80 in arterial blood indicates hypoxia
 PaO2 60-80 – mild hypoxia (alarming)
 Pao2 40-60 – moderate hypoxia (life-threatening)
 Pao2 <40 – severe hypoxia ( fatal)

18.  1 month old male presents with projectile emesis x 2
days.
 ABG
 pH- 7.49
 PCO2 -40
 PO2 – 98
 HCO3 -30
 Na- 140 / K- 2.9 / Cl- 92 / HCO3- 32

19.  Step 1 : pH- 7.49 (alkalosis)
 Step 2 : PCO2 – 40 (normal) HCO3 – 30 (high)
 Step 3 : pH PCO2 N HCO3 (metabolic alk.)
 Step 4: PO2 – 98 (no hypoxia)
 Step 5 : since PCO2 is normal and pH is deranged
there is no compensation taking place.
 Anion gap (Na+ + K+) – (cl- + Hco3-)
(140 + 2.9) – ( 92+32)
(142.9)- (124) = 18.9
Result : uncompensated anion gap metabolic
alkalosis, no hypoxia

20.  47 year old male experienced crush injury at
construction site.
 ABG – pH-7.3 / PCO2-32 / PO2-96 / HCO3-15
 Na- 135 / K-5 / Cl- 98 / HCO3- 15 / BUN- 38 / Cr- 1.7
Partially compensated anion gap metabolic acidosis

21.  ABG – pH -7.47 / PCO2-19 / PO2- 123 / HCO3-14
 Na- 145 / K- 3.6 / Cl- 109 / HCO3- 17
Partially compensated Respiratory alkalosis

22.  pH 7.30
 CO2 30
 pO2 68
 O2 sat. 92%
 HCO3 14
Partially compensated Metabolic acidosis

23.  An ill-appearing alcoholic male presents
with nausea and vomiting.
 ABG - 7.4 / 41 / 85 / 22
 Na- 137 / K- 3.8 / Cl- 90 / HCO3- 22
Normal ABG

26. How to draw an ABG (n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2009, from
http://rn.modernmedicine.com/rnweb/Acute+Care+Focus/Drawing-blood-for-
ABGs/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/315012
Perkins, J. (n.d.). ABG interpretation. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from
lane.stanford.edu/portals/picu_ppslides/abg_interpretation.ppt
Klee,V. (n.d.). Arterial Blood Gas Analysis. Retrieved March 19, 2009, from
scalpel.stanford.edu/ICU/presentations/abg%20presentation.ppt
ABG Interpretation (n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2009, from
home.cmcvellore.ac.in/upcoming/.../ppt/Arterial%20Blood%20Gas.ppt