Chapter 6, Problem 2CAQ1

Summary Introduction

To review:

The patient’s $\text{Pao2}$ and alveolar carbon dioxide, and its effects as a result of the asthmatic episode.

Introduction:

An 18-year-old woman was taken to the hospital due to respiratory distress. She had asthma all her life. She appeared fatigued and cyanotic and used her accessory muscles for inspiration. She was suffering an acute ventilatory failure with severe hypoxemia. Her blood pressure was 177/110 mm Hg, the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood ($\text{Pao2}$) was 27 mm Hg, and oxygen saturation ($\text{Sao2}$) was 42%.

Please refer to Clinical Application Case- 2 for further information.