Creative ways to teach arterial blood gas interpretation. This is a nonfinal version of an article published in final form in. The main determinants of pao 2 are the inspired oxygen concentration, alveolar gas exchange, and, to a lesser extent, tissue oxygen. The automated analysers measure the ph and the partial pressures of oxygen pao 2 and carbon dioxide paco 2 in arterial blood. Arterial blood gases abg results reflect underlying pathology and interpretation of the results are often compounded by ongoing disease processes and clinical interventions. Arterial blood gas interpretation demystified physician assistant. Arterial blood gas abg interpretation is something many medical students find difficult to grasp weve been there. Interpretation of arterial blood gases abgs david a. Following are the steps one should follow when reading the arterial blood gas and interpreting the values simultaneously. Understanding and use of blood gas analysis enables providers to interpret respiratory, circulatory and metabolic disorders. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology associated with a patients condition and how it relates to an acidbase imbalance will also be discussed. Blood urea nitrogen bun 620 mgdl major nitrogencontaining end product of protein metabolism lactate 4.
Website to use for online analysis of blood gas values. The most important points when assessing a patient are the history, examination and basic observations. Blood gas analysis can give the clinician essential information on the respiratory and metabolic status of a patient. When the ph is normal, it will be fully compensated. Arterial blood gas interpretation the purpose of this selfleaming packet is to educate patient care providers on the basic principles of acidbase balance as well as to provide a systematic approach to the interpretation of arterial blood gases. Interpreting arterial blood gases abgs by michael greenlee for openpediatrics. Arterial blood gas analysis is an essential part of diagnosing and managing a patients oxygenation status and acidbase balance. An easy step by step guide to understanding the abg. Interpreting an arterial blood gas abg is a crucial skill for physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other health care personnel. Arterial blood gas abg interpretation for medical students, osces and mrcp paces this section presents how to interpret arterial blood gases. Arterial blood gas abg analysis is an essential part of diagnosing and managing a patients oxygenation status and acidbase balance.
Orlando regional healthcare is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by. Body will not overcompensate when it comes to acidbase balance so. The pf ratio ratio between the pao 2 and the inspired oxygen concentration expressed as a fraction is a useful guide to the presence and severity of impaired. Abgs made easy for nurses w tic tac toe method for arterial blood gas interpretation.
It explains each component in turn followed by clinical examples to work through. An abg is the most accurate representation of a patients clinical status and correct interpretation can lead to quicker and more accurate changes in the. O determination of pao2x pao2 is dependant upon age, fio2, patmy as age the expected pao2ge pao2 109 0. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology associated with a patients condition and. These measurements should be considered with the patients clinical features table 1. This measures just how much blood hb is carrying oxygen compared to the total amount of hb capable of carrying. As pao2 increases, more oxygen diffuses into the red blood cells, where it combines with hemoglobin to form oxyhemoglobin. Interpretation of arterial blood gases requires a systematic assessment of. Interpreting abgs arterial blood gases made easy ausmed. The usefulness of this diagnostic tool is dependent on being. The usefulness of this diagnostic tool is dependent on being able to correctly interpret the results.
The interpretation of arterial blood gases australian. Weve created this guide, which aims to provide a structured approach to abg interpretation whilst also increasing your understanding of each results relevance. Abg interpretation a guide to understanding abgs geeky. The usefulness of this diagnostic tool is dependent. Abg quick interpretation parameter acidosis normal alkalosis reflects ph 7. Oxygen content of blood is affected by level and affinity state of hemoglobin. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to remember how to decipher these important lab results. Arterial blood gasses, or abgs, may be among the most complex and confusing parts of nursing practice. Interpretation of arterial blood gas article pdf available in indian journal of critical care medicine 142. Interpretation of arterial blood gases requires a systematic assessment of oxygenation, ph, standard bicarbonate shco 3. Interpretation of arterial blood gas pubmed central pmc. Practice rational testing interpreting arterial blood gas. Each hemoglobin molecule contains four atoms of iron and therefore can combine with four molecules of oxygen.
Arterial blood gas interpretation, abg analysis, rules for rapid abg analysis, anion gap, approach to mixed disorders. In addition, they provide a vital insight into a patients status that will ultimately influence how a case is. If it outside range, then it is uncompensated or partially compensated. Interpreting an arterial blood gas abg is a crucial skill for physicians, nurses, respiratory. Abg interpretation abg analysis arterial blood gases acidbase balance. This measures the number of hydrogen ions in your blood, which may indicate conditions such as copd, asthma, pregnancy, diabetic ketoacidosis dka, lung disease, liver disease, or drug use. Arterial blood gases abg can be difficult and confusing to understand at first. Indications, interpretations, and clinical applications m etabolic derangements and respiratory distress are common presenting problems in emergency medicine. Without knowing them, your patient could easily go. The bodys regulation of ph is influenced by both the respiratory and the.
Everyone can read an electrolyte level, but when faced with a list of abgs, most nurses wilt. Interpretation of the arterial blood gas selflearning packet see swift for list of qualifying boards for continuing education hours. Garima aggarwal resident iind yr department of medicine5th august moderator dr. Assess oxygenation arterial oxygen tension pao 2 is the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood.
However, its a crucial skill for nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, and nursing students to learn. Acidbase balance overview the ph is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of the blood. Similar to your so2, however fcohb and fmethb are not included as they are not ca pable of carrying oxygen. Although often considered difficult or confusing to interpret due to the abundance of chemistry, with a little practice blood gases become easy and quick to interpret.