Acid Base

RATIONALE: Blood gas analysis is often used to assess acid-base, ventilation, and oxygenation status in critically ill patients. Although arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis remains the gold standard, venous blood gas (VBG) analysis has been shown to correlate with ABG analysis and has been proposed as a safer less invasive alternative to ABG analysis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation of VBG analysis plus pulse oximetry (SpO2 ) with ABG analysis...

Acid-base homeostasis and pH regulation are critical for both normal physiology and cell metabolism and function. The importance of this regulation is evidenced by a variety of physiologic derangements that occur when plasma pH is either high or low. The kidneys have the predominant role in regulating the systemic bicarbonate concentration and hence, the metabolic component of acid-base balance. This function of the kidneys has two components: reabsorption of virtually all of the filtered HCO3(-) and production of new bicarbonate to replace that consumed by normal or pathologic acids...