pCO₂ Gap

The venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference (PCO₂ gap), defined as PcvCO₂ (taken from a central line blood gas) – PaCO₂ (taken from an arterial blood gas), answers a question that neither lactate nor ScvO₂ can typically answer directly. Whereas ScvO₂ focuses on the balance between oxygen delivery and consumption, the pCO₂ gap asks whether blood flow […]