acid/base compensation formulars for step 1

[cameraGEEK]

Goljan has different equations for assessing appropriate compensation for each respiratory and metabolic, for each acute and chronic, for each acidosis and alkalosis (Rapid Review, pgs 69-73). Are all those different formulas useful to know for Step 1?

FA has only Winter's formula, specifically for assessing respiratory compensation in metabolic acidosis; FA does not make mention of other situations and their respective formulas for what is above or below normal compensation. Why does FA skip the other scenarios? Are we only expected to know resp compensation for metabolic acidosis?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[quique2]

When I first saw this in Goljan I nearly crapped my pants, I thought it was extremely hard. I never saw this again after that, not in any other Step 1 books, never in any questions (not in Kaplan Qbank, not on the 2007 UW), not on my exam either.

For Step 1, I don't think you need to know the exact compensation, but having a general idea will definitely help, especially with how fast you figure out whether this is an acute or chronic problem and in having a general "feel" of whether the compensation is adecuate. This will also help you in actual clinical settings of course.

(obviously, knowing what the actual compensation is, and the mechanism behind it, is definitely important).

Not sure whether this is need-to-know information for Step 2/3.

Maybe other people can give more in-depth insight, but again, I don't think this is very important information.