Lab case 93 – Interpretation

A 55 year old man with sudden onset headache and shortness of breath

Four abnormalities:

  1. alkalaemia
  2. low pCO2 => primary respiratory
  3. Low Potassium – shift due to alkalaemia
  4. high glucose – stress response, impaired glucose tolerance

Relevant Negative:

  1. Normal HCO3 => uncompensated metabolic component

Interpretation and Explanation:

Uncompensated acute primary respiratory alkalosis likely secondary to intracranial catastrophy. Consider other causes such as salicylate toxicity, anxiety