Its useful diagnostic procedure to diagnose respiratory diseases. Worthy for GNM II Year & B.Sc.(N). II Year Students.

1. ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS
TEST
By, Ahmed Sodha
M.Sc.(N). – M.S.N.

2. AN ARTERIAL-BLOOD GAS TEST:-
AN ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS (ABG) TEST MEASURES OXYGEN AND CARBON
DIOXIDE LEVELS IN YOUR BLOOD. IT ALSO MEASURES YOUR BODY’S
ACID-BASE (PH) LEVEL, WHICH IS USUALLY IN BALANCE WHEN YOU’RE
HEALTHY.
• AN ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS (ABG) TEST MEASURES THE ACIDITY (pH)
AND THE LEVELS OF OXYGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE BLOOD FROM
AN ARTERY. THIS TEST IS USED TO CHECK HOW WELL YOUR LUNGS ARE
ABLE TO MOVE OXYGEN INTO THE BLOOD AND REMOVE CARBON DIOXIDE
FROM THE BLOOD.
INDICATION:-
• CHECK FOR SEVERE BREATHING
• COPD, ASTHMA
• CHECK ACID-BASE BALANCE
• DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS

3. AN ARTERIAL-BLOOD GAS TEST:- PROCEDURE
• NURSE WILL USE A SMALL NEEDLE TO TAKE SOME OF YOUR
BLOOD, USUALLY FROM YOUR WRIST. SOMETIMES THEY TAKE IT
FROM AN ARTERY IN YOUR GROIN OR ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR
ARM ABOVE YOUR ELBOW.
• BEFORE THE ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS TEST, NURSE MAY APPLY
PRESSURE TO THE ARTERIES IN YOUR WRIST FOR SEVERAL
SECONDS. THE PROCEDURE, CALLED THE MODIFIED ALLEN TEST,
CHECKS THAT BLOOD FLOW TO YOUR HAND IS NORMAL.
• PATIENT MAY HAVE A FEW MINUTES OF DISCOMFORT DURING OR
AFTER THE TEST. COLLECTING BLOOD FROM AN ARTERY
TYPICALLY HURTS MORE THAN DRAWING IT FROM A VEIN.
ARTERIES ARE DEEPER THAN VEINS, AND THERE ARE SENSITIVE
NERVES NEARBY.

4. AN ARTERIAL-BLOOD GAS TEST:-
 NORMAL VALUES PARTIAL PRESSURE OF OXYGEN (PaO2) - 75 - 100
mmHg.
PARTIAL PRESSURE OF CARBON DIOXIDE (PaCO2) - 38 - 42 mmHg.
ARTERIAL BLOOD pH OF 7.38 - 7.42.
OXYGEN SATURATION (SaO2) - 94 - 100%

5. AN ARTERIAL-BLOOD GAS TEST:-
VALUE NORMAL ABNORMAL
pH 7.35-7.45 <7.35 ACIDOSIS >7.45 ALKLOSIS
PaO2 > 90 mm of Hg
75-89
MILD HYPOXIA
< 75
SEVERE HYPOXIA
PaCO2 35-45 mm of Hg
< 35 mm of Hg
ALKLOSIS
45 mm of Hg
ACIDOSIS
HCO3 18-24 mEq/L
< 18 mEq/L
ACIDOSIS
24 mEq/L
ALKLOSIS

6. AN ARTERIAL-BLOOD GAS TEST:-
 MODERN, BLOOD GAS ANALYZER. THIS DEVICE IS CAPABLE OF
REPORTING pH, pCO2, pO2, SatO2, Na+, K+, Cl−, Ca2+, HEMOGLOBIN.

7. AN ARTERIAL-BLOOD GAS TEST:-
 WATCH VIDEO THROUGH BELOW MENTIONED LINK
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BSv4iN8T2E
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUf-cPpnrXw