Why pco2 high

In cases of massive pulmonary embolism, the infarcted or non-functioning areas of the lung assume greater significance and the pCO2 may increase. Elevated pO2 levels are associated with: Increased oxygen levels in the inhaled air Polycythemia Decreased PO2 levels are associated with: Decreased oxygen levels in the inhaled air Anemia Heart decompensation Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Restrictive pulmonary disease Hypoventilation CO2 content is a measurement of all the CO2 in the blood.

Elevated CO2 levels are seen in: Severe vomiting Use of mercurial diuretics COPD Aldosteronism Decreased CO2 levels are seen in: Renal failure or dysfunction Severe diarrhea Starvation Diabetic acidosis Chlorthiazide diuretic use Base excess or base deficit Whenever there is an accumulation of metabolically produced acids, the body attempts to neutralize those acids to maintain a constant acid—base balance.

Oxygen saturation will fall if: Inspired oxygen levels are diminished, such as at increased altitudes. Upper or middle airway obstruction exists such as during an acute asthmatic attack Significant alveolar lung disease exists, interfering with the free flow of oxygen across the alveolar membrane. Accept and continue.

Arterial blood gas analysis typically measures: pH acidity pCO2 partial pressure of carbon dioxide pO2 partial pressure of oxygen CO2 carbon dioxide content Base excess the loss of buffer base to neutralize acid And may include: Oxygen saturation These measurements are often used to evaluate oxygenation of the tissues and pulmonary function.

Base excess positive number or base deficit negative number. Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood. Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood. Again bicarbonate-centered. Stewart's Textbook of Acid-Base. A re-issue and extended edition of Stewart's landmark text. Detailed explanation of the Stewart and base-excess approaches.

Swenson, E. All rights reserved. No sponsor or advertiser has participated in, approved or paid for the content provided by Decision Support in Medicine LLC. Show More. Login Register. We want you to take advantage of everything Cancer Therapy Advisor has to offer.

To view unlimited content, log in or register for free. Register now at no charge to access unlimited clinical news, full-length features, case studies, conference coverage, and more. We do not recommend that you make any clinical decisions based on this information without first ensuring you have checked the latest guidance. Maintaining the pH of blood is essential for normal bodily function. The results of ABG testing will often influence the treatment that patients receive.

Therefore, a basic understanding of how to interpret ABG results can be useful for pharmacists to help them clarify the clinical picture. The optimal physiological pH of extracellular fluid is 7. The following equilibrium equation is crucial to understanding acid-base balance:. It is the renal and respiratory systems that are responsible for maintaining the pH of the blood. One way that the body controls the pH of extracellular fluid is by increasing or decreasing the rate and depth of respiration and thereby the amount of CO 2 expelled ie, slow, shallow breathing retains more CO2 than fast, deep breathing.

The body has three main buffers that minimise any changes in pH that occur when acids or bases are added, namely haemoglobin, HCO3 — and proteins. However, HCO3 — is the most important buffer in the blood and is the dominant buffer in the interstitial fluid.

At an intracellular level buffering occurs instantly, but the effect is small. The following are the commonly reported parameters of ABG results see Box 2 for the normal reference ranges :. Other parameters commonly found on ABG reports are: haemoglobin, glucose and electrolytes sodium, potassium, chloride and ionised calcium. The pH should be assessed first. Phone: Fax: Email: diagcenter cornell. Business Hours Monday-Friday: ampm Saturdays limited service : ampm. Bring to lab immediately after collection.

Remove needles from syringes!! DO NOT leave the sample without notifying someone in the lab that the sample has arrived. Venous blood gas pO2, pCO2, pH, bicarb. CO2, base excess. A low pH is compatible with acidemia and a high pH with alkalemia. It is the partial pressure tension of oxygen in a gas phase in equilibrium with blood. High or low values indicate blood hyperoxia or hypoxia, respectively.