Access Medicine's Case of the Week: Acid Base Disturbance Case #7
Case
A 31-year-old female with refractory severe persistent asthma presents to the emergency department with a severe asthma exacerbation. She is very anxious, and wheezing is audible from the hallway. The patient is tachypneic, and a chest x-ray shows no infiltrate, no pneumothorax, and no other pathology.
| Laboratory Data: |
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| ABG |
Basic Metabolic Panel |
|||
| pH |
7.35 |
Na |
140 mEq/L |
|
| PaCO2 |
25 mm Hg |
K |
4.0 mEq/L |
|
| PaO2 |
101 mm Hg |
Cl |
105 mEq/L |
|
| HCO3 |
20 mEq/L |
CO2 |
20 mEq/L |
|
| BUN |
13 mg/dL |
|||
| Cr |
1.0 mg/dL |
|||
Question 1 of 5
What is/are the primary acid-base disturbance(s) occurring in this case?
A - Metabolic acidosis only
B - Respiratory alkalosis only
C - Metabolic acidosis and a respiratory acidosis
D - Metabolic alkalosis and a respiratory acidosis
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