Whats the lowest bicarb level you've seen on an ABG?

So far the lowest I've seen is 5 mEq/L. Patient died about 3 days after getting to the hospital.

That lived? 8.

Lowest ever? 2, during a code that was down for an unknown amount of time and was brought into the ED after they worked the patient for 45 minutes in the field.

The lowest I've ever seen was a 2 on admit for a 20yo DKA patient. He was oriented x3-4 the whole time, and at worst a little somnolent. The veteran nurses on unit were surprised that this kid did as well as he did, and he discharged from the unit 3 days after admission.

I just recently saw a bicarb of 4 on a female DKA patient. Her respirations were textbook Kussmaul, but her O2 sat was 98% on room air and able to talk although drowsy. Our intensivist used this as an opportunity to teach some of the newer staff about ABGs and informed them that she may very well code if we tried to intubate her. The human body is incredible.

18 hours ago, TheSameVein said:

I just recently saw a bicarb of 4 on a female DKA patient. Her respirations were textbook Kussmaul, but her O2 sat was 98% on room air and able to talk although drowsy. Our intensivist used this as an opportunity to teach some of the newer staff about ABGs and informed them that she may very well code if we tried to intubate her. The human body is incredible.

Haha yep. Been there, done that. Inexperienced doc or RT tubes them and "fixes" the CO2.

“Undetectable.” Guy’s ph was 6.5 and blood sugar was 11. He somehow managed to survive another 12 hours. Only 23 years old ?

Ph 6.7, Bicarbonate read < 3

pH 6.6, bicarb 6. Did not live for even 24 hours after arriving to the hospital

pH 6.5; bicarb 2.5. The patient was discharged home 3 day later.

On 9/4/2019 at 9:31 PM, valx92 said:

“Undetectable.” Guy’s ph was 6.5 and blood sugar was 11. He somehow managed to survive another 12 hours. Only 23 years old ?

Wut how did his sugar get to 11 lol