Blood gas is a term used to describe a laboratory test of blood where the purpose is primarily to measure ventilation

Ventilation

Ventilation is movement of air in and out of an enclosed space, including a body. It is used in the following contexts:* Ventilation * Ventilation * Ventilation * Ventilation * Ventilation...

 and oxygenation

Oxygenation

Oxygenation may refer to:* Oxygenation , a measurement of dissolved oxygen concentration in soil or water* Oxygenation , the process by which concentrations of oxygen increase within a tissue...

. The source is generally noted by an added word to the beginning; arterial blood gas

Arterial blood gas

An arterial blood gas is a blood test that is performed using blood from an artery. It involves puncturing an artery with a thin needle and syringe and drawing a small volume of blood. The most common puncture site is the radial artery at the wrist, but sometimes the femoral artery in the groin or...

es come from arteries, venous blood gases come from veins and capillary blood gases come from capillaries.

Values measured

• pH — The acidity or basicity of the blood.
• PaCO2 — The partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood.
• PaO2 — The partial pressure of oxygen in the blood.
• HCO3 — The level of bicarbonate in the blood.
• BE — The base-excess of bicarbonate in the blood.

Purposes for testing

• Acidosis
  Acidosis
  Acidosis is an increased acidity in the blood and other body tissue . If not further qualified, it usually refers to acidity of the blood plasma....
  
  
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
  Diabetic ketoacidosis
  Diabetic ketoacidosis is a potentially life-threatening complication in patients with diabetes mellitus. It happens predominantly in those with type 1 diabetes, but it can occur in those with type 2 diabetes under certain circumstances...
  
  
• Lactic acidosis
  Lactic acidosis
  Lactic acidosis is a physiological condition characterized by low pH in body tissues and blood accompanied by the buildup of lactate especially D-lactate, and is considered a distinct form of metabolic acidosis. The condition typically occurs when cells receive too little oxygen , for example...
  
  
• Metabolic acidosis
  Metabolic acidosis
  In medicine, metabolic acidosis is a condition that occurs when the body produces too much acid or when the kidneys are not removing enough acid from the body. If unchecked, metabolic acidosis leads to acidemia, i.e., blood pH is low due to increased production of hydrogen by the body or the...
  
  
• Respiratory acidosis
  Respiratory acidosis
  Respiratory acidosis is a medical condition in which decreased ventilation causes increased blood carbon dioxide concentration and decreased pH ....
  
  
• Respiratory alkalosis
  Respiratory alkalosis
  Respiratory alkalosis is a medical condition in which increased respiration elevates the blood pH...
  
  

Abnormal results

Abnormal results may be due to lung, kidney, or metabolic diseases. Head or neck injuries or other injuries that affect breathing can also lead to abnormal results.