Quote:
Originally Posted by lemonade90
I thought so too, but I read this:
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/Med...hysio/pf10.htm
Which says " Hb becomes 100% saturated with CO at PCO = 0.6 mm Hg" and "Hb becomes 100% saturated with O2 at PO2 = 600 mm Hg" so I was wondering whether the term Hb saturation is independent of the gases bound to the Hb (i.e. several gases can together saturate Hb at the same time). |
Saturation just means gas binding to O2. So yes, CO can saturate hemoglobin, but no one is referring to CO when they say "your patient is satting at 88%." When a patient presents with dyspnea and someone tells you the "sat," they are talking about the O2 sat. If you were doing a research experiment or something with Hb and CO, you might refer to CO saturation. Unless it says CO saturation, assume it's O2 saturation. Have you come across a practice question that just said "Hb saturation?" I don't think I have.