Difference in Acid-Base State between Venous and Arterial Blood during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Abstract
We investigated the acid-base condition of arterial and mixed venous blood during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 16 critically ill patients who had arterial and pulmonary arterial catheters in place at the time of cardiac arrest. During cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the arterial blood pH averaged 7.41, whereas the average mixed venous blood pH was 7.15 (P2) was 32 mm Hg, whereas the mixed venous PCO2 was 74 mm Hg (P<0.001).