Test Code VBG PL Blood Gases, Venous Blood
Performing Laboratory
Decatur Morgan Hospital-Parkway Campus
Specimen Requirements
Specimen must arrive within 30 minutes of draw.
Draw blood in a sodium heparin (NA HEP) tube(s), and send 2 mL
of NA HEP whole blood. Place on wet ice immediately after drawing.
Forward unprocessed whole blood immediately to respiratory
therapy.
Reference Values
pH (98.6)
7.32-7.43
Critical values (automatic call-back): <7.20 or
>7.65
PCO2 (98.6)
40-60 mm Hg
Critical values (automatic call-back): <20 mm Hg or >65
mm Hg
PO2 (98.6)
30-55 mm Hg
HCO3-(ACT)
22-27 mmol/L
BASE EXCESS (VITRO)
±2 mmol/L
LACTATE
0.44-2.22 mmol/L
Critical value (automatic call-back): >5.0 mmol/L
O2 SATURATION (CALCULATED)
40-85%
Test Classification and CPT Coding
82803