A patient has the following blood gasses: pH 7.43, CO$$_2$$ 47, HCO$$_3$$ 31.2. Should these results be reported to the physician?

Flashcard 5 - Diagnostic Tests Flashcard Set for the Medical Assistant test

yes

While the pH and CO$_2$ are abnormal, HCO$_3$ is a critical result. Normal HCO$_3$ ranges are from 22 to 26.

All Flashcard Sets for the Medical Assistant test are now available as downloadable PDFs