[Gasometric studies of arterial blood in patients with stroke]

Gasometric determinations of pCO2, pO2, HCO3 and SO2 were performed in arterial blood in 100 patients with brain stroke. The following conclusions have been drawn. 1. In 2/3 of cases of brain stroke decreased partial oxygen pressure and in 1/3 of cases acid-base equilibrium disturbances are observed. 2. Hypoxia occurs in brain stroke mainly in patients with consciousness disturbances, which suggests that impaired airways patency plays a role in the pathomechanism of this disturbance. 3. Acid-base equilibrium disturbances in cases of brain stroke have in most patients the character of respiratory alkalosis which seems to be due to hyperventilation determined by central nervous mechanisms as well as to hypoxia caused by insufficient patency of airways. 4. Gasometric investigations of arterial blood in brain stroke are important for establishing the degree of homeostasis disturbances and for choice of methods of therapeutic management.