SAQ 1518 – Alcoholic abdominal pain with blood gas results

Marked out of 17.00

A 41-year-old itinerant alcoholic is brought to the ED with severe epigastric abdominal pain and vomiting. His room-air arterial blood gas is shown below.

Test Result Units Reference range
pH 7.17 7.35-7.45
pCO2 30 mmHg 35-45
pO2 98 mmHg 80-100
HCO3 11 mmol/L 18-26
Na 117 mmol/L 135-145
K 3.5 mmol/L 3.2-4.5
Cl 64 mmol/L 100-110
Ionised Ca 0.74 mmol/L 1.15-1.32
Lactate 8.1 mmol/L 0.5-2.2
Glucose 34.2 mmol/L 3.0-7.8

Comment on sodium, potassium, chloride, and ionised calcium, and give likely causes for each abnormality.

(Marked out of 8.0)


/ 8

List the other major abnormalities present, and for each give two differential diagnoses where applicable.

(Marked out of 9.0)


/ 9

Total Score: 0 / 17

Percentage: 0%