Multiple Choice Questions- Acid Base Balance
Q.1- A person was admitted in a coma. Analysis of the arterial blood gave the following
values: PCO2 16 mm Hg, HCO3- 5 mmol/l and pH 7.1. What is the underlying acid-base
disorder?
a) Metabolic Acidosis
b) Metabolic Alkalosis
c) Respiratory Acidosis
d) Respiratory Alkalosis
Q.2- In a man undergoing surgery, it was necessary to aspirate the contents of the upper
gastrointestinal tract. After surgery, the following values were obtained from an arterial
blood sample: pH 7.55, PCO2 52 mm Hg and HCO3- 40 mmol/l. What is the underlying
disorder?
a) Metabolic Acidosis
b) Metabolic Alkalosis
c) Respiratory Acidosis
d) Respiratory Alkalosis
Q.3- A young woman is found comatose, having taken an unknown number of sleeping pills
an unknown time before. An arterial blood sample yields the following values: pH – 6.90,
HCO3- 13 meq/liter, PaCO2 68 mmHg. This patient’s acid-base status is most accurately
described as
a) Uncompensated metabolic acidosis
b) uncompensated respiratory acidosis
c) simultaneous respiratory and metabolic acidosis
d) respiratory acidosis with partial renal compensation
