Biomaterial Database

[Analysis of acid-base disturbances in the emergency department]. 2021

Pontus Olsson de Capretz, and Erik Lindeman, and Eric Dryver

ST-läkare, Akutkliniken, Skånes universitetssjukhus, Lund.

The analysis of acid-base disturbances contributes to the diagnostic work-up of critically ill patients. Most emergency departments are equipped with blood gas point-of-care analyzers that quantify within minutes pH, pCO2, standard bicarbonate, standard base excess, sodium and chloride levels. This article provides a pragmatic stepwise approach to the analysis of acid-base disturbances in the emergency department. Standard base excess is used to assess the adequacy of the secondary (compensatory) response. Calculation of the anion gap based on the actual bicarbonate is used to identify the coexistence of metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis. The delta anion gap allows for the identification of measurement errors, such as falsely elevated lactate and chloride values, which in turn may provide diagnostic clues.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004636	Emergency Service, Hospital	Hospital department responsible for the administration and provision of immediate medical or surgical care to the emergency patient.	Emergency Outpatient Unit,Emergency Services Utilization,Hospital Emergency Room,Hospital Emergency Service,Hospital Emergency Services Utilization,Accident and Emergency Department,Emergency Departments,Emergency Hospital Service,Emergency Room,Emergency Units,Emergency Ward,Hospital Service Emergency,Service, Hospital Emergency,Department, Emergency,Departments, Emergency,Emergencies, Hospital Service,Emergency Department,Emergency Hospital Services,Emergency Outpatient Units,Emergency Room, Hospital,Emergency Rooms,Emergency Rooms, Hospital,Emergency Services, Hospital,Emergency Unit,Emergency Wards,Emergency, Hospital Service,Hospital Emergency Rooms,Hospital Emergency Services,Hospital Service Emergencies,Hospital Service, Emergency,Hospital Services, Emergency,Outpatient Unit, Emergency,Outpatient Units, Emergency,Room, Emergency,Room, Hospital Emergency,Rooms, Emergency,Rooms, Hospital Emergency,Service Emergencies, Hospital,Service Emergency, Hospital,Service, Emergency Hospital,Services Utilization, Emergency,Services Utilizations, Emergency,Services, Emergency Hospital,Services, Hospital Emergency,Unit, Emergency,Unit, Emergency Outpatient,Units, Emergency,Units, Emergency Outpatient,Utilization, Emergency Services,Ward, Emergency,Wards, Emergency
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006863	Hydrogen-Ion Concentration	The normality of a solution with respect to HYDROGEN ions; H+. It is related to acidity measurements in most cases by pH	pH,Concentration, Hydrogen-Ion,Concentrations, Hydrogen-Ion,Hydrogen Ion Concentration,Hydrogen-Ion Concentrations
D000136	Acid-Base Equilibrium	The balance between acids and bases in the BODY FLUIDS. The pH (HYDROGEN-ION CONCENTRATION) of the arterial BLOOD provides an index for the total body acid-base balance.	Anion Gap,Acid-Base Balance,Acid Base Balance,Acid Base Equilibrium,Anion Gaps,Balance, Acid-Base,Equilibrium, Acid-Base,Gap, Anion,Gaps, Anion
D000137	Acid-Base Imbalance	Disturbances in the ACID-BASE EQUILIBRIUM of the body.	Acid Base Imbalance,Acid-Base Imbalances,Imbalance, Acid-Base,Imbalances, Acid-Base
D000471	Alkalosis	A pathological condition that removes acid or adds base to the body fluids.	Alkaloses
D012964	Sodium	A member of the alkali group of metals. It has the atomic symbol Na, atomic number 11, and atomic weight 23.	Sodium Ion Level,Sodium-23,Ion Level, Sodium,Level, Sodium Ion,Sodium 23