A patient presents to the emergency department after 4 days of severe diarrhea. Which arterial blood gas result indicates a complication of severe diarrhea?

pH = 7.30, PaCO2 = 36 mmHg, HCO3 = 18 mEq/L. The patient with prolonged, severe diarrhea is at risk for metabolic acidosis due to loss of HCO3 in the stool. This would be reflected in an arterial blood gas result of a pH of 7.30 and a low HCO3 of 18. A patient with a low pH and high PaCO2 has a respiratory acidosis, which is not caused by diarrhea. Diarrhea does not cause an alkalosis which is indicated by a pH greater than 7.42.

A patient presents to the emergency department after 4 days of se...

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Reduction of Risk Potential
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Category: Reduction of Risk Potential
Difficulty: 7

Topics: Acid-Base Gastrointestinal

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