Table of Contents

What is meant by interpreting arterial blood gases? one blood sample, two machines; three physiologic processes, four equations; PaCO2 and alveolar ventilation; PaO2 and the alveolar-arterial PO2 difference; SaO2 and oxygen content; pH, PaCO2, HCO3 and acid-base status; putting it all together - cases with blood gas data to interpret; putting it all together - cases without blood gas data; putting it all together - free text interpretations of blood gas data; pitfalls in blood gas interpretation; quick-course on blood gas interpretation.