The husband of a patient who is critically ill asks, "Why do they keep checking my wife's pH? Isn't knowing her oxygen level enough?" What is the best response?
"As long as her oxygen levels are good, her pH really isn't that important."
"Many of her body's systems only work properly when her pH is within a narrow range, so we monitor it carefully."
"We want to make sure that she isn't running out of buffers to keep her pH just right."
"Yes, her oxygen levels are what's most important, but the lab always sends up all those numbers as a set."
"As long as her oxygen levels are good, her pH really isn't that important."
"Many of her body's systems only work properly when her pH is within a narrow range, so we monitor it carefully."
"We want to make sure that she isn't running out of buffers to keep her pH just right."
"Yes, her oxygen levels are what's most important, but the lab always sends up all those numbers as a set."
