Publisher's Synopsis
Basically, the ABGs are a test of the arterial blood that check the oxygen levels, the carbon dioxide levels, the acidity (or pH) of the blood, the oxyhemoglobin saturation, and the bicarbonate. If you have a fancy blood gas analyzer, you can get a methemoglobin level, a carboxyhemoglobin level, and sometimes just a hemoglobin level.
Sure, there are normal results given along with the test values, but it doesn't end there. What does a certain pH in the blood mean? Where does the bicarbonate level come from? This book will answer that.
In this book, you will learn:
- The Science of Arterial Blood Gases
- pH, Buffers, and the Kidneys
- Normal ABG Values
- Simple Acid-Base Disorders
- Deep dive into understanding ABGs in the Clinical Sense
- ABG Collection and Sources of Error
- Helpful study tools we recommend
- Practice Questions / Case Studies