There is increasing evidence of variability in pK1', the practical dissociation coefficient used in the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation to calculate arterial bicarbonate from measurements of arterial pH and pco2. The case presented here illustrates not only potential technical artifacts in arterial blood sampling, which can confuse, but also irreconcilable differences in the values of calculated arterial bicarbonate vs measured arterial and venous total carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide content). Measurements of total carbon dioxide in arterial blood will resolve such conflicts, particularly for acutely ill patients, and will reflect the correct bicarbonate measurements for use in therapeutic decisions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.