Labs and diagnostics
PaO₂ / PaCO₂
partial pressure of oxygen / carbon dioxide in arterial blood
Two of the values on an arterial blood gas. PaO₂ reflects oxygenation; PaCO₂ reflects ventilation and drives the respiratory side of acid-base balance.
How it gets tested
Central to ABG items: PaCO₂ moves opposite to pH in respiratory problems (ROME), and PaO₂ is the value that distinguishes hypoxemia from CO₂ retention.
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What does pao₂ / paco₂ mean?
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