04-08-2011, 08:46 PM
A 72-year-old man is brought to the ER by his
wife after 3 days of persistent malaise, anorexia,
and diarrhea. An arterial blood gas reveals the
presence of an acid-based disorder. Given this
clinical scenario, which of the following pairs of
PCO2
and HCO−
3 values would you most expect
this patient’s arterial blood gas to reveal?
(A) PCO2—27 mm Hg; HCO−3 —19 mmol/L
(B) PCO2—33 mm Hg; HCO−3 —21 mmol/L
© PCO2—40 mm Hg; HCO−3 —25 mmol/L
(D) PCO2—46 mm Hg; HCO−3 —29 mmol/L
(E) PCO2—53 mm Hg; HCO−3 —34 mmol/L
wife after 3 days of persistent malaise, anorexia,
and diarrhea. An arterial blood gas reveals the
presence of an acid-based disorder. Given this
clinical scenario, which of the following pairs of
PCO2
and HCO−
3 values would you most expect
this patient’s arterial blood gas to reveal?
(A) PCO2—27 mm Hg; HCO−3 —19 mmol/L
(B) PCO2—33 mm Hg; HCO−3 —21 mmol/L
© PCO2—40 mm Hg; HCO−3 —25 mmol/L
(D) PCO2—46 mm Hg; HCO−3 —29 mmol/L
(E) PCO2—53 mm Hg; HCO−3 —34 mmol/L