04-07-2006, 09:03 AM
Ben, I need to correct myself! If u have a primary resp alk, u have hi pH, low pCO2 and normal HCO3. If there's a compensation, u have hi pH, low pCO2 and lo HCO3 and this compensation is simply an additional met acidosis (ie resp alk +met acidosis). If however, u have a hi pH, low pCO2 and hi HCO3, then u have resp alk + met alkalosis. The Winter's formula simply gives u the exact value for expected respy compensation in metab acidosis which if it is equal to the observed pCO2, then u have complete respy compensation of metab acidosis. It may not be necessary to calculate it unless the question asks specifically for it. I stand to be corrected in my analysis and if any one can make this clearer, then that would be a big help!