Acid-base balance: practice question

The best answer is A, Metabolic alkalosis with partial respiratory compensation. A high pH with a high bicarbonate indicates metabolic alkalosis, here from loss of gastric hydrochloric acid.

Respiratory alkalosis would show a low PaCO2, not a high one.

Metabolic acidosis would give a low pH and low bicarbonate, the opposite of these values.

Respiratory acidosis would give a low pH; here pH is high and bicarbonate is the primary change.

It tests Acid-base balance in Physiology. The raised PaCO2 reflects hypoventilation as the respiratory compensation, which cannot fully correct the pH.

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

For each system, sketch the key graph (pressure–volume loop, oxygen dissociation curve, nephron handling) and explain it aloud. Then use the flashcards and the other Physiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.