Lab and diagnostic patterns
ROME
Respiratory Opposite, Metabolic Equal
A method for reading arterial blood gases: in a respiratory disturbance the pH and the carbon dioxide move in opposite directions, and in a metabolic one the pH and the bicarbonate move in the same direction.
What each letter stands for
- 1 Respiratory Opposite — pH up and CO₂ down, or pH down and CO₂ up.
- 2 Metabolic Equal — pH and HCO₃⁻ move together.
How it gets tested
The single most useful ABG mnemonic, and the one that turns a four-value reading into two comparisons.
Related terms
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