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Articles and journal scans about Blood gases/acid-base
Journal Scan
January 2013
Pulse oximetry not reliable for diabetic patients?
Pulse oximeters, which are ubiquitous in nearly all areas of clinical care, provide the means for safe, non-invasive continuous monitoring of blood oxygen saturation. The validity of using pulse oximetry to assess patient blood oxygenation status depends on SpO2, the parameter measured by pulse oximetry, being a...
Blood gases/acid-base
Journal Scan
January 2013
Four case studies of severe metabolic acidosis in pregnancy
Arterial blood gas analysis in cases of metabolic acidosis reveals primary decrease in pH and bicarbonate, and secondary (compensatory) reduction in pCO2. The most common cause of metabolic acidosis is increased production of endogenous metabolic acids, either lactic acid, in which case the condition is called lactic...
Blood gases/acid-base
Article
January 2013
pH-adjusted ionized calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral required for numerous biological functions. In circulation, calcium is found in three different fractions, anion-bound, protein-bound and free or ”ionized”.
The amount of calcium in each of these fractions is dependent on the concentration of hydrogen ions, anions and plasma proteins....
Blood gases/acid-base
Electrolytes
Glucose
Creatinine/urea
Lactate
Article
January 2013
Blood gas interpretation in the neonate - what do you need to know now?
Many authors contend that drawing of umbilical ABGs is a simple method to evaluate the condition of the neonate and ideally would be routinely done for all newborns [13].
Other authors disagree. Appropriate general principles guide clinicians when drawing and interpreting ABGs for all patients. The special needs of...
Neonatology
Point-of-care testing
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Lactate
Journal Scan
October 2012
Metabolic acidosis due to paracetamol (acetaminophen)
Metabolic acidosis is a common metabolic disturbance among the acutely/critically ill that has many possible causes. The condition is diagnosed by arterial blood gas analysis which reveals primary reduction in pH and bicarbonate, followed by secondary (compensatory) reduction in pCO2.
Abnormal accumulation of...
Blood gases/acid-base
Journal Scan
October 2012
Towards pain-free blood gases
Blood gas analysis is unique among blood tests in its requirement for arterial blood; all others are performed on venous, or more rarely, capillary blood samples. Sampling arterial blood is a technically difficult procedure to perform, and painful for the patient: significantly more painful than sampling either venous ...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Article
October 2012
100 years of blood gas and acid base analysis in clinical medicine
The term acidosis was first mentioned in the medical literature in 1898 in connection with the description of diabetic ketoacidosis. Alkalosis was first used in human medicine in 1922 by the English physiologist J. S. Haldane; it had been used in veterinary medicine somewhat earlier.
In 1870, the Norwegians C. M....
Blood gases/acid-base
Glucose
Lactate
Hemoglobins
Journal Scan
October 2012
Choice of blood gas syringe – does it matter?
The preanalytical phase of laboratory testing has long been recognized as a stage for potential error, and blood gas analysis is a test that is well-recognized as being particularly vulnerable in this regard. Much research has been directed at devising procedures that minimize variability of measured blood gas...
Blood gases/acid-base
Quality assurance
Preanalytical phase
Article
September 2012
The importance of quality control (QC) to quality blood gas testing
Test results, essential for quality healthcare, constitute more than 70% of patients’ health records. Because quality results are so important, governments around the world mandate a series of laboratory practices to ensure quality.
All laboratories in the United States follow the Clinical Laboratory Improvement...
Point-of-care testing
Blood gases/acid-base
Quality assurance
Journal Scan
July 2012
Acid-base disturbance in COPD
Arterial blood gases are frequently useful in the clinical management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to assess both oxygenation and acid-base status.
A recent review article focuses on disturbance of acid-base in these patients, which occurs in advanced disease when pulmonary gas...
Blood gases/acid-base