A 35-year-old, 54-kg woman with congestive heart failure enters the emergency department short of breath.An ABG shows the following results: pH 7.50, PaCO₂ 30 mm Hg, HCO₃- 23 mEq/L, base excess +2 mEq/L
The patient's ABG results indicate which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Respiratory alkalosis, which is identified by a PaCO₂ below the expected level, indicates that ventilation is exceeding the normal level. The kidneys compensate for respiratory alkalosis by excreting plasma HCO₃- . A normal plasma HCO₃- with a low PaCO₂ and increased pH is called uncompensated respiratory alkalosis.

A 35-Year-Old, 54-Kg Woman with Congestive Heart Failure Enters the Emergency