A 19-year-old college student presents to the student health clinic complaining of severe, watery diarrhea for the past 3 days after returning from a camping trip. He reports feeling profoundly weak and lightheaded when standing. His temperature is 37.2°C (99.0°F), blood pressure is 98/60 mm Hg while supine and 82/50 mm Hg while standing, and pulse is 115/min. Physical examination shows dry mucous membranes and delayed capillary refill. Laboratory results reveal:
Serum sodium:
Serum potassium:
Serum chloride:
Serum bicarbonate:
Arterial blood gas on room air:
pH: 7.28
: 29 mm Hg
: 95 mm Hg
Based on the laboratory findings, which of the following best characterizes this patient's acid-base status?
- AHigh anion gap metabolic acidosis with appropriate respiratory compensation
- BNormal anion gap metabolic acidosis with concurrent primary respiratory alkalosis
- Normal anion gap metabolic acidosis with appropriate respiratory compensationCevap
- DNormal anion gap metabolic acidosis with concurrent primary respiratory acidosis
- EPrimary respiratory alkalosis with compensatory metabolic acidosis
Cevap
Normal anion gap metabolic acidosis with appropriate respiratory compensation
The patient's presentation of severe diarrhea has led to a primary metabolic acidosis, evidenced by a pH of 7.28 and a low serum bicarbonate of . The anion gap is calculated as , which is normal (reference range: 8-12 mEq/L). To determine if the respiratory compensation is appropriate, Winter's formula is applied: Expected . For this patient, . The patient's actual is 29 mm Hg, which falls precisely within the expected range, indicating an appropriate respiratory compensation.
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Anahtar Kavram
Patients with severe diarrhea lose bicarbonate in the stool, leading to a normal anion gap metabolic acidosis (NAGMA). Appropriate respiratory compensation is verified using Winter's formula: Expected .