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Bicarbonate
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Common Questions
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1. If bicarbonate levels are too high or low, what treatments can help?
2. What other gases circulate in blood?
3. If my doctor has measured bicarbonate, why do they want to do blood gases?
1. If bicarbonate levels are too high or low, what treatments can help?
If your bicarbonate is high or low, your doctor will identify and treat the underlying cause. For example, high bicarbonate may be caused by emphysema, which may be treated with oxygen therapy and medications, or by severe diarrhoea or vomiting (which would be treated by treating the reason for the diarrhoea or vomiting). Low bicarbonate may be caused by diabetic ketoacidosis, which can be treated in part by treating the blood sugar problem that led to the ketoacidosis.
2. What other gases circulate in blood?
Oxygen, dissolved and bound to haemoglobin and is vital to their functioning. Smokers and people who have been exposed to carbon monoxide may have measurable amounts of it in their blood. Carbon monoxide also binds to your red blood cells, diminishing your body's ability to carry oxygen.
3. If my doctor has measured bicarbonate, why do they want to do blood gases?
Blood gas tests, in which blood is drawn from an artery instead of a vein, can give your doctor a more accurate assessment of the body's pH (acid/base status) and indicate whether your body is taking in enough oxygen and getting rid of enough CO2.
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This page was last modified on
May 11, 2004.
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