Acid-Base Disorders - Expected Compensation Equations



Metabolic Acidosis:

 • pCO2 = 1.5 x HCO3 + 8 ± 2 (Winter’s formula)  or

 • ∆ HCO3 ↓ 1 → ∆ pCO2 ↓ 1.2



Metabolic Alkalosis:

 • pCO2 = 0.7 x (HCO3 - 24) + 40 ± 5  or

 • ∆ HCO3 ↑ 1 → ∆ pCO2 ↑ 0.7



Respiratory Acidosis:

 • Acute: ∆ pCO2 ↑ 10 → ∆ HCO3 ↑ 1 

 • Chronic: ∆ pCO2 ↑ 10 → ∆ HCO3 ↑ 3 



Respiratory Alkalosis:

 • Acute: ∆ pCO2 ↓ 10 → ∆ HCO3 ↓ 2 

 • Chronic: ∆ pCO2 ↓ 10 → ∆ HCO3 ↓ 4



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