When Analyzing an ABG Sample from a Patient with Acute

Multiple Choice

When analyzing an ABG sample from a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome and refractory hypoxemia, you notice a PaO₂ of 141 mm Hg and a PaCO₂ of 14 mm Hg. Which of the following analytic errors should you suspect?

A) Excessive time since sample collection
B) Exposure of the blood sample to air
C) Excessive heparin in the sample
D) Sample admixture with venous blood