Everything Blood Gases on the Internet

Compiled by Lawrence Martin, M.D.

There are numerous arterial blood gas-related web sites on the internet; included below is an annotated list of the few sites I've reviewed, and that provide useful information. They are divided into two categories based on intended audience: 'health care professionals' and 'patients/families'.

Oriented toward physicians and other health care professionals

All You Really Need to Know to Interpret Arterial Blood Gases
Information about my book, the #1 bestseller on Amazon.com dealing with arterial blood gases.

Differences between PaO2, SaO2, and Oxygen Content - How Much Oxygen is in the Blood?
Many trainees caring for critically ill patients don't fully understand these important differences.

Blood Gas Questions With Answers
A useful quiz on blood gases.

Blood Gas Interpretation - What's new
Non-invasive methods of assessing blood gas information.

Diagnosing mixed acid-base disorders
A quick review of this important topic.

The Anion Gap and the Bicarbonate Gap
AG is very important in unraveling mixed acid-base disorders. Less well understood is the bicarbonate gap.

Acid-base tutorial
Authored by Dr. Alan Grogono, former Chairman of Anesthesiology at Tulane, this web site offers a wealth of instruction. Perhaps unique among web sites on this topic, he provides historical insight into why acid-base terminology is such a mess (see his topic "Topsy Turvy Decisions").

Anesthesiology Education website on Acid-base physiology
Includes an 11-chapter text on Acid-base physiology, plus 30 case examples that are thoroughly discussed.

Blood gas measurements
Site from the UK - emphasis on actual measurements of pH, PCO2 and PO2, as opposed to interpretation of results.

www.the-abg-site.com
ABG Site "dedicated to helping nurses and other healthcare professionals learn and interpret arterial blood gases." Contains samples for you to interpret.

Brief Review from British Medical Journal
In addition to information about ABG interpretation, shows pictures of arterial sampling and the Allen's Test for arterial blood flow.

Interpretation of Arterial Blood Gases (66 slides)
Slide presentation for physicians and medical students.


You Tube Video - Drawing an arterial blood gas

You Tube Animation - Drawing an arterial blood gas

You Tube Slide Lecture - PaCO2

You Tube Slide Lecture -pH

You Tube Slide Lecture - bicarbonate


Oriented toward lay population - patients and their families

WebMD on arterial blood gases

Medline Plus

Blood gas analysis

Lab tests online

WIKIPEDIA entries on:
arterial blood gases
oxygen saturation
pulse oximetry
capnography

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