Blood Gases

Blood Gas Basics

• Introduction
• Why are blood gases done?
• Why not get blood gases?
• How are blood gases done?
• What values are returned from ABGs?
• The myth of normal values

• Physiology of Gas Exchange
  • Respiration and Ventilation
  • Lung Anatomy
  • Lung Volumes
  • Partial Pressure of Gases
  • Gas Exchange
  • Oxygen Transport
  • Effects of Acid on Oxygen Transport
  • Carbon Dioxide Transport
  • Chemical Control of Respiration
  • Carboxyhemoglobin
• Assessing Lung Function
  • Arterial Alveolar Gradient
  • Calculating the Aa Gradient
• Acid-Base Physiology
  • Acids and pH
  • Acid Buffering
  • Acid-Base Balance in the Body
  • Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate Buffering
  • Total CO2
  • Base Excess
  • Base Excess of ECF
  • Effects of Acid-Base Balance on Oxygen
• Clinical Acid-Base Disturbances
  • Approach to the Abnormal Blood Gas
  • Metabolic Acidosis
  • Metabolic Alkalosis
  • Respiratory Acidosis
  • Respiratory Alkalosis
  • Therapy of Respiratory Acidosis
  • Therapy of Metabolic Acidosis

All material referenced through this menu is excerpted from copyrighted works by Bruce Argyle, MD. You are welcome to use selected portions, as long as appropriate credit is given. The credit for the text referenced through this menu is:

Argyle, B., Chest Pain Simulator Computer Program Manual.
Mad Scientist Software, Alpine, UT

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