Today every ICU provides rapid and automated blood gas testing twenty-four hours a day. The emphasis in this handy manual on blood gases is on interpreting readings and wisely using the information derived. The self-testing questions and glossary make it particularly useful. The Second Edition includes patient scenarios, more figures, a revised bibliography, and pertinent Internet addresses. Every ICU provides rapid and automated blood gas testing twenty-four hours a day. This title is a manual on blood gases. It includes patient scenarios, figures, a revised bibliography, and pertinent internet addresses. How to Use This Book for Maximum Benefit xv(2) Blood Gas Pre-Test xvii(4) Quik-Course on Blood Gas Interpretation xxi 1 What Is Meant by Interpreting Arterial Blood Gases? One Blood Sample, Two Sets of Tests 1(13) 2 Three Physiologic Processes, Four Equations 14(13) 3 PaCO(2) and Alveolar Ventilation 27(21) 4 PaO(2) and the Alveolar-Arterial PO(2) Difference 48(20) 5 PaO(2), SaO(2), and Oxygen Content 68(15) 6 SaO(2), Hemoglobin Binding, and Pulse Oximetry 83(24) 7 pH, PaCO(2), Electrolytes, and Acid-Base Status 107(23) 8 Primary and Mixed Acid-Base Disorders 130(18) 9 Putting It All Together: Cases 148(24) 10 Putting It All Together: Free Text Interpretations 172(19) 11 Putting It All Together: Clinical Evaluation and Test Ordering 191(12) 12 Venous Blood Gases: Beyond All You Really Need to Know 203(15) 13 Pitfalls in Blood Gas Interpretation 218(6) A Post-Test 224(3) B Answers 227(4) C Symbols and Abbreviations 231(3) D Glossary 234(7) E References 241(6) Index 247