The anion gap is a calculation that measures the balance of select negative and positive charges (anion and cations respectively) in plasma. Anion gap is critical for the assessment of acid -base disorders which is an umbrella diagnosis that has many causes including renal failure, toxicities, sepsis and diabetic ketoacidosis. Though the name suggests thereContinue reading “Anion Gap & Neutrality: Filling in the Knowledge Gap”
Category Archives: Critical Care
Read an ABG in 4 Simple Steps
Arterial Blood Gas Terminology Arterial blood gas (ABGs) are drawn from arterial blood and measures the concentration of concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood among other things. Everything we will discuss is centered around the goal of maintaining a normal blood pH. The general term used for pathologies surrounding blood pH isContinue reading “Read an ABG in 4 Simple Steps”
Community Acquired Pneumonia: When to Admit and How to Treat
In the unit Respiratory Tract Infections: Pneumonia we covered the assessment of a patient presenting with signs and symptoms of pneumonia including differentiating between the 3 main types. In the unit Community Acquired Pneumonia: Outpatient Treatment we talked about those patients who are stable enough to be treated at home. This unit focuses on theContinue reading “Community Acquired Pneumonia: When to Admit and How to Treat”