Lab Case 190

78 years old woman from a nursing home is brought to your ED by ambulance. She has had severe diarrhoea with fever for 2 days.

Vital signs:

pulse rate= 132,

BP = 84/46,

Temp = 38.5,

RR = 24 (was 18 on the chart).

Blood gas (venous)

PH = 7.29

PaO2 = 40.

PCO2 = 29.

HCO3 = 13

Na = 126

K = 3.1

Cl = 92

Urea = 14.2

Cr = 101

BSL = 5.1

Lactate = 3.3

Questions:

Interpret the blood gas results and describe your treatment

Thanks Dr Basil Muharb