Jose is in danger of respiratory arrest following the administration of a narcotic analgesic. An arterial blood gas value is obtained. Nurse Oliver would expect the paco2 to be which of the following values?
A. 15 mm Hg
B. 30 mm Hg
C. 40 mm Hg
D. 80 mm Hg
Correct Answer: D. 80 mm Hg
A client about to go into respiratory arrest will have inefficient ventilation and will be retaining carbon dioxide. The value expected would be around 80 mm Hg. All other values are lower than expected.
Option A: 15 mmHg is a low value for a client about to go into respiratory arrest.
Option B: 30 mmHg is lower than the expected value because of inefficient ventilation.
Option C: 40 mmHg is still less than the expected value for a client who is about to go into respiratory arrest.