Analysis of blood gases and acid–base balance

Analysis of blood gases is widely used for patients with many different conditions from surgical, medical and intensive care fields. Knowledge of the basic science behind the subject is essential to gain a full understanding of what the results mean on a typical blood gas result. Understanding the history of acid–base physiology and why certain analytical tools were developed can make interpretation easier. The scope of this article is to explain some of the background to this area and show how it relates to clinical medicine.