A nurse is assessing a client who has been receiving continuous nasogastric (NG) tube suctioning for 48 hours due to a mechanical small bowel obstruction. The client is now reporting severe muscle cramping and tingling in the extremities. The nurse observes that the client's respirations are shallow at a rate of 10 breaths/min. Based on the client's clinical presentation and the physiological effects of gastric fluid loss, which of the following arterial blood gas (ABG) results should the nurse anticipate?
- pH 7.51, PaCO2 49 mm Hg, HCO3 34 mEq/LCevap
- BpH 7.29, PaCO2 56 mm Hg, HCO3 26 mEq/L
- CpH 7.32, PaCO2 40 mm Hg, HCO3 18 mEq/L
- DpH 7.49, PaCO2 29 mm Hg, HCO3 24 mEq/L
Cevap
The expected result is pH 7.51, PaCO2 49 mm Hg, HCO3 34 mEq/L, representing metabolic alkalosis with partial respiratory compensation.
The correct answer reflects an elevated pH (alkalosis) and an elevated HCO3 (metabolic origin), which is the direct result of acid loss from NG suctioning. Furthermore, the elevated PaCO2 correctly demonstrates the body's physiological adaptation of hypoventilating (shallow respirations at 10 breaths/min) to retain acid and partially compensate for the alkalosis.
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Anahtar Kavram
Continuous loss of gastric acid through NG suctioning or vomiting leads to metabolic alkalosis. The body compensates for this imbalance through respiratory hypoventilation to retain CO2.