HESI Critical Care Practice Questions
& Answers: Essential Review for the
2025/2026 Academic Year
What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH of 7.1,
pCO2 of 50, and HCO3 of 30 - 100 correct answer as-
Respiratory acidosis
What is the primary disturbance in respiratory acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-High pCO2
What is the main cause of respiratory acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-hypoventilation
How does the body compensate in respiratory acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-Increase renal reabsorption of
bicarbonate
What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH of 7.1,
pCO2 28, and HCO3 of 18 - 100 correct answer as-
Metabolic acidosis
,What is the primary disturbance in metabolic acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-decrease in serum bicarbonate
How does the body compensate in metabolic acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-decrease pCO2
Fill in the blanks: decrease pCO2: ___, increase pCO2: ____ -
100 correct answer as-hypoventilation,
hyperventilation
What is the equation to calculate anion gap? - 100 correct
answer as-Na - (Cl + HCO3)
Anion gap metabolic acidosis occurs when anion gap is _____ -
100 correct answer as-anion gap > 12
What acronym is used to help determine causes of anion gap
metabolic acidosis? - 100 correct answer as-MUDPILE
What does the M in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-methanol
,what does the U in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-uremia
What does the D in MUDPile mean? - 100 correct
answer as-Diabetic ketoacidosis
What does the P in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-propylene glycol
What does the I in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-isoniazid/ iron overdose
what does the L in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct answer
as-lactic acidosis
What does the E in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-ethylene glycol
, What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH 7.48,
pCO2 28, and HCO3 18? - 100 correct answer as-
respiratory alkalosis
What is the primary disturbance in respiratory alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-Low pCO2
What is the main cause of respiratory alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-hyperventilation
What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH of 7.48,
pCO2 50, and HCO3 29? - 100 correct answer as-
metabolic alkalosis
What is the primary disturbance in metabolic alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-increase in serum bicarbonate
What is the main cause of metabolic alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-loss of gastric acid
& Answers: Essential Review for the
2025/2026 Academic Year
What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH of 7.1,
pCO2 of 50, and HCO3 of 30 - 100 correct answer as-
Respiratory acidosis
What is the primary disturbance in respiratory acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-High pCO2
What is the main cause of respiratory acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-hypoventilation
How does the body compensate in respiratory acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-Increase renal reabsorption of
bicarbonate
What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH of 7.1,
pCO2 28, and HCO3 of 18 - 100 correct answer as-
Metabolic acidosis
,What is the primary disturbance in metabolic acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-decrease in serum bicarbonate
How does the body compensate in metabolic acidosis? - 100
correct answer as-decrease pCO2
Fill in the blanks: decrease pCO2: ___, increase pCO2: ____ -
100 correct answer as-hypoventilation,
hyperventilation
What is the equation to calculate anion gap? - 100 correct
answer as-Na - (Cl + HCO3)
Anion gap metabolic acidosis occurs when anion gap is _____ -
100 correct answer as-anion gap > 12
What acronym is used to help determine causes of anion gap
metabolic acidosis? - 100 correct answer as-MUDPILE
What does the M in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-methanol
,what does the U in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-uremia
What does the D in MUDPile mean? - 100 correct
answer as-Diabetic ketoacidosis
What does the P in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-propylene glycol
What does the I in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-isoniazid/ iron overdose
what does the L in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct answer
as-lactic acidosis
What does the E in MUDPILE mean? - 100 correct
answer as-ethylene glycol
, What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH 7.48,
pCO2 28, and HCO3 18? - 100 correct answer as-
respiratory alkalosis
What is the primary disturbance in respiratory alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-Low pCO2
What is the main cause of respiratory alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-hyperventilation
What type of acid-base disturbance presents with a pH of 7.48,
pCO2 50, and HCO3 29? - 100 correct answer as-
metabolic alkalosis
What is the primary disturbance in metabolic alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-increase in serum bicarbonate
What is the main cause of metabolic alkalosis? - 100
correct answer as-loss of gastric acid
