Medknow Publications on behalf of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine
Abstract
Disorders of acid-base balance can lead to severe complications in many
disease states, and occasionally the abnormality may be so severe as to
become a life-threatening risk factor. The process of analysis and
monitoring of arterial blood gas (ABG) is an essential part of
diagnosing and managing the oxygenation status and acid-base balance of
the high-risk patients, as well as in the care of critically ill
patients in the Intensive Care Unit. Since both areas manifest sudden
and life-threatening changes in all the systems concerned, a thorough
understanding of acid-base balance is mandatory for any physician, and
the anesthesiologist is no exception. However, the understanding of
ABGs and their interpretation can sometimes be very confusing and also
an arduous task. Many methods do exist in literature to guide the
interpretation of the ABGs. The discussion in this article does not
include all those methods, such as analysis of base excess or
Stewart\u2032s strong ion difference, but a logical and systematic
approach is presented to enable us to make a much easier interpretation
through them. The proper application of the concepts of acid-base
balance will help the healthcare provider not only to follow the
progress of a patient, but also to evaluate the effectiveness of care
being provided