A 17-year-old man is brought into the emergency department. Vitals are as follows: pulse, 100 beats/min; respiratory rate, 4 breaths/min; and blood pressure, 100/65 mm Hg. The patient was at a party, where he was discovered by his friends to be slumped in a chair and unresponsive. ABG results are as follows: pH 7.29, PaCO₂ 68 mm Hg, HCO₃^-29 mEq/L, BE + 1 mEq/L
The patient's acid-base status is classified as which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient has a respiratory acidosis, as evidenced by the low pH and high PaCO2. The HCO3- is also elevated, which indicates that the body is attempting to compensate for the acidosis. However, the compensation is only partial, as the pH is still below normal.

A 17-Year-Old Man Is Brought into the Emergency Department