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Discussion

Help with lab interpretation please!!!

I'm a 4th semester student who totally struggles with lab values and I've been working on this for hours and for th most part I understand the patho of what is going on with her and even the values for the most part. I'm just stumped on this one part. Can someone please help???

Patient today was admitted after a visit to the ED with difficulty breathing. She had venous blood gases drawn and they were found to be:

pH 7.29

PaCO2 - 68.7

PaO2 - 270

HCO3 - 33.1

and I believe her O2 saturation was 99%.

She was intubated and diagnosed with Hypercarbic Respiratory Failure. Several days later she was placed with a tracheostomy. I totally understand why all of the lab values are what they are except I don't understand the super high O2! I'm starting to think I must have written it down wrong!

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    Respiratory acidosis with partial renal compensation. Also an air embolism.

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    Respiratory acidosis with partial renal compensation. Also an air embolism.

    This.

    Also if the patient was exposed to carbon monoxide, that can cause normal SaO2 readings.

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    an increase is po2 is generally characterized by polycythemia, increased inspired o2, and hyperventilation. i would guess it is polycythemia. rbc count would confirm.

    is your pt copd? her abg’s show signs of it.

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    wait is it an ABG or a venous gas?

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