A 34-year-old woman, 6 hours post-surgery for endometriosis excision, presents with the following observations: - Temperature: 37.3-degree C. - BP: 95/65 mmhg - RR: 6 bpm. - ABG re... A 34-year-old woman, 6 hours post-surgery for endometriosis excision, presents with the following observations: - Temperature: 37.3-degree C. - BP: 95/65 mmhg - RR: 6 bpm. - ABG results: - pH 7.35 - pO2 10.1 kpa (10-13) - pCO2 6.6 kpa (4.5-6.0) - BE 25 mmol/l (22-28) What is the definition of her clinical condition? A. Metabolic acidosis without respiratory compensation. B. Metabolic alkalosis with respiratory compensation. C. Respiratory acidosis. D. Respiratory acidosis with metabolic compensation. E. Respiratory alkalosis. Read more

Understand the Problem

The question describes a 34-year-old woman recovering from surgery who presents with specific vital signs and blood gas results (ABG). Based on observations and ABG results, we must identify the patient's clinical condition. The key is to interpret the pH, pO2, pCO2, and base excess (BE) values in light of the patient's history and clinical presentation to select the correct acid-base disturbance.

More Information

The patient's blood gas results show a pH of 7.35, which is slightly acidic. The pCO2 is elevated at 6.6 kpa, indicating respiratory acidosis. The BE is at 25 mmol/l is within normal limits.

Tips

When assessing acid-base balance, it's crucial to evaluate the pH first to determine if it's acidosis or alkalosis. Then, look at the pCO2 and HCO3 to identify the primary cause and whether there's any compensation.

Sources

• Question Sets and Answers - PMC - PubMed Central - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov