ABG full form

What is the full form of ABG ?

ABG: Arterial Blood Gas

An arterial blood gas analysis (ABG) measures the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood to see how well your lungs are working. It also measures the acid-base balance in the blood. Your kidneys and lungs keep this acid-base balance. You need this for the enzyme systems in your body to work at their best. When there is an imbalance, your blood has too much acid (acidosis) or too much base (alkalosis).

An ABG is often done at the same time as the tests listed below:

  • Electrolytes, including the levels of sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate in your blood.

  • Glucose, or the amount of sugar in your blood.

  • Other blood tests, including blood count; magnesium; calcium; amylase; blood urea nitrogen, or BUN; creatinine and phosphorus; ketones; and lactate level tests. These tests show how well your kidneys are working.

  • Urine tests may also be done to find out how well your kidneys are working and to check overall health.

  • Chest X-ray to look at your lungs, or other radiology studies.

If your healthcare provider suspects you have a lung disease or heart condition, you may need other tests to see how well your lungs work. These may include:

  • Spirometry. This test measures the amount of air you can breathe in and out, and how forcefully you can exhale.

  • Lung volume measurements. These tests find out how much you can inhale, how much you can exhale, and how much air is left in your lungs after you exhale.

  • Lung diffusion capacity. This test measures the amount of oxygen that passes from your lungs to your bloodstream.