While interpreting a patient’s ABG results, you note a PaCO2 of 24 torr, a Base Excess of -11 mEq/L, and a pH of 7.36. How would you interpret these results?

This is your typical ABG interpretation question. Let’s break this one down.

The pH is in the normal range. The PaCO2 is decreased, and the Base Excess is decreased. When you have abnormal values but yet a normal pH, this tells us immediately that there is come compensation going on.

The pH is on the low end of the normal range, meaning that it is less than 7.40. This tells us that the primary problem is acidosis. And since the Base Excess is severely low, we know that there is a metabolic issue. The PaCO2 is also low because the body is compensating for the low Base Excess in order to bring the pH back into the normal range.

So now we know that the correct answer has to be D.

The correct answer is: D. Compensated metabolic acidosis