A 55 year old man with sudden onset headache and shortness of breath
Four abnormalities:
- alkalaemia
- low pCO2 => primary respiratory
- Low Potassium – shift due to alkalaemia
- high glucose – stress response, impaired glucose tolerance
Relevant Negative:
- 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