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MedicalVideos.com — Lab Values
Blood Gas Tests reference sheet. Typical adult ranges; ranges vary by laboratory — always compare a result with the range on the patient’s own report.
Blood Gas Tests reference sheet. Typical adult ranges; ranges vary by laboratory — always compare a result with the range on the patient’s own report.
Blood Gas Tests — Reference Ranges
A blood gas test — usually drawn from an artery — measures acidity (pH), oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, showing how well the lungs are exchanging gas and how the body is balancing acids and bases.
This page lists all 10 tests in this group with their typical adult ranges in both unit systems. Open any test for plain-language notes on high and low results and how to prepare.
| Test | Abbr. | Typical range (conventional) | Typical range (SI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arterial Bicarbonate | HCO3 | 22–28 mEq/L | 22–28 mmol/L |
| Arterial pH | pH | 7.35–7.45 | — |
| Base Excess | BE | -2 to +2 mEq/L | -2 to +2 mmol/L |
| Carboxyhemoglobin | COHb | <3 % | <3 % |
| Methemoglobin | MetHb | <1.5 % | <1.5 % |
| Oxygen Saturation, Arterial | SaO2 | 95–100 % | 95–100 % |
| Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide, Arterial | PaCO2 | 35–45 mmHg | 4.7–6.0 kPa |
| Partial Pressure of Oxygen, Arterial | PaO2 | 80–100 mmHg | 10.7–13.3 kPa |
| Venous Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide | PvCO2 | 41–51 mmHg | 5.5–6.8 kPa |
| Venous pH | — | 7.31–7.41 | — |
Full, always-updated version of this sheet: https://www.medicalvideos.com/lab-values/panel/blood-gas/Printed from MedicalVideos.com Lab Values. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.