Editing Reduction of Risk Potential (section)

=== Arterial Blood Gases ===

;pH 7.35 to 7.45, PaCO2 35 to 45 mm Hg, HCO3 22 to 26 mEq/L, PaO2 80 to 100 mm Hg, SaO2 95 to 100 percent
Interpretation sequence: look at the pH to decide acidemia or alkalemia, then decide whether the PaCO2 (respiratory) or the HCO3 (metabolic) moves in the direction that explains the pH, then judge compensation by whether the other value has also shifted and whether the pH has returned into range (Pagana et al., 2022).

* '''Respiratory acidosis''': low pH, high PaCO2. Hypoventilation from opioid oversedation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation, atelectasis, neuromuscular weakness, or airway obstruction.
* '''Respiratory alkalosis''': high pH, low PaCO2. Hyperventilation from anxiety, pain, fever, sepsis, early pulmonary embolism, or excessive mechanical ventilation.
* '''Metabolic acidosis''': low pH, low HCO3. Diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis from shock, renal failure, prolonged diarrhea, salicylate overdose. Expect compensatory deep rapid Kussmaul respirations.
* '''Metabolic alkalosis''': high pH, high HCO3. Prolonged vomiting, nasogastric suction, excessive antacid or bicarbonate intake, diuretic-induced potassium and chloride loss.

Nursing application: draw arterial specimens with attention to the Allen test for radial punctures, apply firm pressure for at least five minutes afterward and longer if the client is anticoagulated, and place the specimen on ice for transport if not analyzed immediately. In clients with chronic carbon dioxide retention, correlate the gas with the client's baseline rather than the textbook range (Ignatavicius et al., 2021; Potter et al., 2023).