The greatest stimulus for arterial as opposed to venous specimens for blood gas studies is to obtain measurement of blood oxygen. The usual information reported is PO2 (concentration of O2 gas measured in mm of Hg or Torr), obtained with a direct-reading PO2 electrode. PO2 represents the dissolved oxygen content of plasma, analogous to the […]
The appearance of the specimen is usually reported only if it is abnormal. Red: Blood; porphyria; occasionally urates, phenolphthalein, or dihydroxyanthraquinone (Dorbane) (laxative use) Brown: Blood (acid hematin); alkaptonuria (urine turns brownish on standing); melanin (may be brown and turn black on standing) Dark orange: Bile, pyridium (a urinary tract disinfectant) pH Normal urine pH […]
In the heart, blood makes a ?gure-eight passage. It enters on the right side through two major veins, moves through the two right chambers, loops back through the lungs to pick up oxygen, then passes back into the left chambers and out through the aorta. The blood ?ow is pro- pelled through the heart and […]
