You just got the results of your patient's ABG: pH:7.19
CO2:53
HCO3:30
How would you interpret the above results?
Partially compensated respiratory acidosis
Respiratory alkalosis
Partially compensated, metabolic acidosis
Uncompensated respiratory acidosis
The Correct Answer is A
A. Partially compensated respiratory acidosis: The patient has a low pH (7.19), indicating acidemia, and an elevated CO2 (53 mmHg), consistent with respiratory acidosis. The HCO3 is slightly elevated (30 mEq/L), showing that metabolic compensation is occurring but has not yet normalized the pH, making it a partially compensated state.
B. Respiratory alkalosis: Respiratory alkalosis is characterized by a high pH and low CO2. In this case, the pH is low and CO2 is elevated, so respiratory alkalosis is not present.
C. Partially compensated metabolic acidosis: Metabolic acidosis typically presents with low pH and low HCO3. Here, HCO3 is elevated, not decreased, and CO2 is high, indicating the primary disturbance is respiratory, not metabolic.
D. Uncompensated respiratory acidosis: Uncompensated respiratory acidosis would have a low pH and high CO2 without any rise in HCO3. Since HCO3 is slightly elevated, partial metabolic compensation is occurring.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. That the patient has an elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) level: Hypercapnia refers specifically to an increased PaCO2 in the blood, usually resulting from hypoventilation or impaired gas exchange. It can lead to respiratory acidosis if not corrected.
B. That the patient has an elevated oxygen (O2) level: Elevated oxygen is called hyperoxemia, not hypercapnia.
C. That the patient has an elevated bicarbonate level (HCO3): Bicarbonate may rise as a compensatory response to chronic hypercapnia, but hypercapnia itself refers to CO2, not HCO3.
D. That the patient has an oxygen saturation (SpO2) level of 100%: SpO2 measures oxygen saturation and does not indicate carbon dioxide levels. A patient can be hypercapnic even with normal or high SpO2.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Respiratory acidosis: Respiratory acidosis occurs when there is hypoventilation leading to CO2 retention, which lowers blood pH. In this case, the CO2 is decreased (33 mmHg) and the pH is elevated (7.47), indicating that the issue is not acid buildup but rather excess CO2 loss.
B. Uncompensated respiratory alkalosis: The elevated pH (7.47) shows alkalosis, and the low CO2 (33 mmHg) confirms that the alkalosis is respiratory in origin due to hyperventilation. Because the bicarbonate level (24 mEq/L) is normal, the kidneys have not yet adjusted.
C. Metabolic acidosis: Metabolic acidosis would present with a low pH and a low bicarbonate level from loss of base or gain of acid. The client’s pH is high, and the bicarbonate is normal, which rules out a metabolic origin.
D. Partially compensated respiratory alkalosis: If partial compensation were present, the bicarbonate would be slightly decreased as the kidneys excrete bicarbonate to balance pH. Since bicarbonate remains normal, no compensation has occurred.
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