When should you order an arterial blood gas?
Arterial blood gas analysis is used to evaluate oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange and acid-base status.
General indications in severely ill adults usually include pathophysiologic abnormalities that can alter gas exchange or acid-base disturbances.
Indications for ABG
ABGs are frequently used for the following:
- To identify and monitor acid-base disturbances
- To measure the partial pressures of oxygen (PaO2) and carbon dioxide (PaCO2)
- To assess the response to therapeutic interventions (eg, insulin in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis)
- To detect and quantify the levels of abnormal hemoglobins (eg, carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin)
- To get a blood sample in an acute emergency setting when venous sampling is not feasible (most tests can be performed from an arterial sample)