South African Family Practice (Apr 2025)

Mastering blood gas interpretation: A practical guide for primary care providers

  • Talat Habib,
  • Arun Nair,
  • Shane Murphy,
  • Hamid Saeed,
  • Nyitiba Ishaya

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v67i1.6058
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 67, no. 1
pp. e1 – e7

Abstract

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Accurate arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation is essential for primary care providers (PCPs), especially in emergency and inpatient settings where timely, informed decisions can significantly impact patient outcomes. This review guides PCPs from basic to advanced interpretation through a systematic five-step approach for ABG analysis, focussing on oxygenation, pH status, and metabolic and respiratory disorders. Emphasising the recognition of complex acid-base disorders that may coexist even when pH appears normal, it incorporates tools such as delta and osmolar gap calculations to address multiple concurrent metabolic disturbances and clarify the interpretation of mixed acid-base conditions. The article also briefly considers the use of arterial and venous blood samples in clinical practice.

Keywords