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Updated: May 15, 2025

Expired CO2 Measurement in Intubated or Spontaneously Breathing Patients from the Emergency Department
Published on: January 29, 2011
Mastering blood gas interpretation: A practical guide for primary care providers
Talat Habib1, Arun Nair, Shane Murphy
1Department of Family Medicine, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital, Kimberley, South Africa; and, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein. habibt@ufs.ac.za.
Abstract:
Accurate arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation is essential for primary care providers (PCPs), especially in emergency and inpatient settings where timely, informed decisions can significantly impact patient outcomes. This review guides PCPs from basic to advanced interpretation through a systematic five-step approach for ABG analysis, focussing on oxygenation, pH status, and metabolic and respiratory disorders. Emphasising the recognition of complex acid-base disorders that may coexist even when pH appears normal, it incorporates tools such as delta and osmolar gap calculations to address multiple concurrent metabolic disturbances and clarify the interpretation of mixed acid-base conditions. The article also briefly considers the use of arterial and venous blood samples in clinical practice.
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