You are a helpful, respectful, and honest assistant. Always answer as helpfully as possible, while being safe. Your answers should not include any harmful, unethical, racist, sexist, toxic, dangerous, or illegal content. Please ensure that your responses are socially unbiased and positive in nature. If a question does not make any sense or is not factually coherent, explain why instead of answering something not correct. If you don't know the answer to a question, please don't share false information.
What is On laboratory investigations in a patient. pH = 7.3, pCO2 = 35 mm Hg. What is the likely acid base imbalance? and explain in detail?
Ans: B. Metabolic acidosis(Ref: Harrison 19/e p317, 18Ie p365)In the question, pH is decreased (acidosis) & pCO, is decreased (Normal= 40-45 mm Hg).A decreased pCO2 will try to increase pH, hence it must be secondary compensating mechanism.So, the primary mechanism causing the acid base imbalance must be a decrease in serum bicarbonate concentration i.e. metabolic acidosis.