Acid base problems


Determining the cause

Do not forget to integrate clinical and laboratory findings.

Make use of all the available blood parameters when assessing acid-base status:

  • [H+]
  • [HCO3-]
  • pCO2
  • Anion gap

The anion gap assesses the accumulation of acids other than HCl and H2CO3.

It is equal to ([Na+] - [Cl-] - [HCO3-]) and should be 12 + 2 Eq/l.

Using [H+] and [HCO3-] it should be possible to identify the primary disorder and whether there is a mixed picture.

Further assessment depends on the primary disorder:


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