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Blood Gases
MessageArterial and venous blood gases are performed in the Chemistry laboratory EXT 5820
Test Code
BLDGS
Alias/See Also
Blood gas, ABG, VBG, pH, pCO2, pO2, O2Sat
Includes
pH, pCO2, pO2, HCO3, TCO2 CALC, O2SAT Measured, Carboxyhemoglobin, Methemoglobin
Preferred Specimen
Lithium heparin syringe,
Minimum Volume
Minimum volume depends on which tests are needed.
For all analytes, at lease 250 uL is needed.
Other Acceptable Specimens
n/a
Transport Temperature
Deliver at room temperature. If specimen is delayed more than 30 minutes, place in an ice slurry.
Specimen Stability
If specimen is delayed more than 30 minutes, place in an ice slurry.
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Clotted specimen, bubbles in sample.
Methodology
pH-Potentiometric
pCO2-Potentiometric
pO2-Amperometric
O2Sat Measured, Carboxyhemoglobin, Methemoglobin-Spectrophotometric
All other parameters are calculated.
Setup Schedule
Blood gases are performed 7 days a week, 24 hours per day.
Reference Range
| pH | 7.35-7.45 |
| pCO2 | 35-45 mmHG |
| pO2 | 85-105 mmHG |
| sO2 | 95-98% |
| tCO2 | 17-32 meq/L |
| HCO3 | 21-28 meq/L |
| Carboxyhemoglobin | 95-98% |
| Methemoglobin | 0-1.8% |
Clinical Significance
Blood gas measurements are used to evaluate oxygenation and acid/base status. They are also used to monitor the effectiveness of continuing supplemental oxygen therapy and during prolonged anesthesia-particularly for cardiac bypass or brain surgery.
