Please see the updated SOP for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Make sure you are familiar with this protocol and for anymore information please contact the Infection Control Team.
Category: Respiratory
A-a gradient
A-a gradient = Alveolar Oxygen – arterial Oxygen
This is “relatively” simple way of working out if the paO2 on a ABG is normal, and demonstrates V/Q mismatch well. V/Q mismatch is simple terms is either an area of the lung either under ventilated(pneumonia) or under perfused (PE). Read more
COPD think VBG
Why VBG instead of ABG?
- Pain – we all know and warn our patients ABG’s are painful. Patients know it to and delay presentation.
- Number of bloods taken – patients attending with COPD will generally have venous bloods taken at triage. Would you want stabbing again if it could be avoided?
