Step 3 Continued:
Compensation for metabolic acidosis: [pCO2] = 1.5[HCO3] +8 (plus or minus 2)
Compensation for respiratory acidosis: acute: for each increase of [pCO2] by 10, [HCO3] increases by 1 chronic: for each increase of [pCO2] by 10, [HCO3] increases by 3.5 (When you get the total, it may be +/-2.)
Compensation for metabolic alkalosis: pCO2 = 0.7[HCO3] +20 (+/- 2)
Compensation for respiratory alkalosis: acute: for each decrease of [pCO2] by 10, [HCO3] decreases by 2 chronic: for each decrease of [pCO2] by 10, [HCO3] decreases by 5 (When you get the total, it may be +/-2.)