A 31-year-old man suffering from food poisoning is having se…
A 31-year-old man suffering from food poisoning is having severe vomiting for the last two days. His blood gas and serum electrolyte analyses revealed the following: pH of 7.60, PaCO2 of 49 mmHg, an HCO3- of 47 mEq/L, a base excess (BE) of +20 mEq/L, a serum K+ of 2.5 mEq/L, and a serum of Cl- of 92 mEq/L. How would the respiratory therapist assess his acid-base condition? 1. Severe hyperventilation 2. Metabolic alkalosis 3. Adequate compensatory response 4. Minimal hypoventilation